IMPACT OF COMESA ON AGRICULTURAL TRADE AND FOOD SECURITY IN SUDAN
IMPACT OF COMESA ON AGRICULTURAL TRADE AND FOOD SECURITY IN SUDAN

Summary/Abstract: This paper aimed at quantifying the impact of the COMESA on agricultural trade and food security in Sudan. A multi-market, multi-regional model is applied. Three scenarios were simulated ranging from zero tariffs to full policy liberalization. Impacts of these scenarios on production, consumption, trade, welfare, and national food security were measured. The simulation results show that the zero tariffs application by Sudan under COMESA has led to negative impacts on production, trade and food security. The study covered commodities depicted negative change in terms of quantity and value; this attributed to the negative supply response under distorted market. However, application of zero tariffs under COMESA region expected to reproduce positive impact in the short to medium run if Sudan improve its competitiveness by removing domestic distortion and therefore increase its ability to compete with commodities from other COMESA countries. The study concluded that the government policies of COMESA member countries, especially Sudan, should put more emphasis to expand investment in agriculture and encourage integrating their markets regionally to benefit from potential of trade and comparative advantage existing in the region.

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