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Summary
Our monthly Food Security Monitor is one way AGRA makes data available to key stakeholders to underpin evidence-based decision-making.
Highlights from the February 2025 Food Security Monitor are summarised below:
Food Commodity Prices Updates
Tanzania registered the lowest price for maize across five East African countries, at USD 289/MT, while Kenya has the highest price at USD 421/MT. In local currency, the price of maize is well above what was registered a year ago, except in Ethiopia when it dropped by 4.17%. Primarily, price fluctuations were influenced by stock shortages caused by seasonal variations and the high demand for maize from the southern region.
In Southern Africa, the price of maize in Zambia has decreased by 12% from January 2025 to USD 305/MT in February 2025, while in Malawi, prices have surged by 23% from January 2025 to USD 838/MT in February 2025. Since December 2024, Malawi's maize price has increased by 69%. The FAO attributes Malawi's price hikes to domestic supply pressures, a reduced maize harvest, and a weakened currency. Zambia has managed the situation by importing from neighbouring countries and has seen economic stabilisation due to the onset of rains easing the power crisis and reducing forex pressure. In local currencies, national average maize prices in Malawi have surged by 23% and 81% compared to the past 1- and 12 months, highlighting the severe economic challenges the country is facing due to the impact of the past drought. Similarly, cassava prices have also surged by 39% and 68% compared to the past one and six months in Malawi. This calls for greater efforts to bridge the food insecurity gap in Malawi through food assistance. In contrast, Zambia's maize prices have remained stable compared to a year ago.
In West Africa, Nigeria recorded the lowest maize price at USD 375/MT in February 2025, down from USD 426/MT in January 2025. Conversely, Togo had the highest maize price at USD 478/MT. The decline in maize prices in Nigeria in USD, reflects similar trends in local currencies, with prices falling by 14.1% and 23.6% over the past 1 and 3 months, respectively. Overall, maize prices have begun to decline compared to the past 3 months due to increased supplies from recent harvests. In Nigeria, the government's issuance of tariff moratoria on wheat, maize, rice and other food crops last year, increased supply of these commodities and contributed to the recent price decrease. Similarly, rice prices in the region are lower than the past 1-12 months. The exception is Burkina Faso where the price of rice remains significantly higher than last year’s level.
Food Security Updates
The prevalence of insufficient food consumption (IFC) remains unchanged from previous month in all monitored countries across East, Southern, and West Africa, except Nigeria which saw 1% improvement, equivalent to 2.1 million people. The incidence of IFC also remain stable in majority of the monitored countries across the continent, compared to a year ago, but lower in Nigeria and Zimbabwe by 5% and 11.7% respectively.
However, the incidence of IFC remains significantly higher in Ghana (55.5%), Rwanda (38.4%), South Sudan (53.1%), Togo (42.1%), and Uganda (125%), compared to a year ago. According to the latest report from the East and Central Africa Food Security and Nutrition Working Group (FSNWG), nearly 10 million people across Kenya, South Sudan, Tanzania, and Uganda are experiencing a food crisis (IPC Phase 3 or worse), which is 4.3% higher than in January 2025. Conflicts and insecurity, climate shocks and hazards, and macroeconomic challenges continue to drive these food insecurity situations in across these regions.
Food Trade Updates
• The African Union has made a historic move to enhance food safety across the continent by adopting the statute for the establishment of the Africa Food Safety Agency during the 38th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on 16 February 2025. This landmark decision signifies a major advancement in the continent’s commitment to protecting consumer health, strengthening food safety governance, and facilitating trade in safe food products under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
• The Food Safety Agency will function as a Specialized Technical Institution of the African Union, dedicated to coordinating and harmonising food safety policies, regulations, and risk assessment frameworks across Member States.
• The border between the Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda has reopened after almost three years of partial restrictions, to allow more trade between the people of the two neighbouring states.
• The African Development Bank (AfDB) has committed USD 2.5 billion to the development of priority infrastructure projects in the United Republic of Tanzania. The funding is for priority infrastructure projects, with more than 70% of the funds being allocated to transport infrastructure including roads, railways and airports, some of which include the multinational Tanzania/Kenya 400-km Bagamoyo – Pangani – Tanga – Horohoro/Lunga Lunga – Mombasa – Malindi (Kenya) road which forms part of the Coastal Transport Corridor of East Africa.
• The Government of Madagascar, with funding from the African Development Fund (ADF), launched a call for expressions of interest for consulting services to enhance trade facilitation through soft infrastructure development between the Port of Toliara (Madagascar) and the Port of Beira (Mozambique). This initiative forms part of the Project for the Development of Corridors and Trade Facilitation (PACFC II), a strategic effort to improve logistics efficiency and regional connectivity. The project focuses on non-physical infrastructure—including digital systems, regulatory frameworks, and operational coordination—to optimise port efficiency and reduce delays in cargo movement.
• The Trucks Transit Parks Ltd (TTP) has successfully integrated the Central Bank of Nigeria’s (CBN) and Nigeria Export Proceeds (NXP) system with its innovative Ètò electronic call-up platform. This integration is aimed at modernizing & streamlining Nigeria’s export operations, enhancing transparency, efficiency, and overall operational excellence at the nation’s ports.
• The Government of Burkina Faso continues to maintain a ban on the export of key staples including rice, millet, maize, sorghum, and cowpeas from Ghana.