The role of trade agreements such as the AfCFTA in fostering the agroecological food systems transformation cannot be overstated. Strengthening regional trade relations with more or less equally developed neighbouring countries is a way of leveraging trade to make the transition to a more diversified economy. By focusing on regional trade, countries can further exploit and develop their comparative
advantages on nearby markets, using the generally existing social connections through which local consumers’ tastes are understood and the connections that can be served by short chains in which small-scale farmers and traders can participate.
