From 15 to 17 April 2026 in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire's National AfCFTA Committee (CN-AfCFTA), in partnership with the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), organized a workshop on digital innovations to strengthen food security and agricultural value chains in Côte d'Ivoire. The event brought together public institutions, private sector stakeholders, and consumer representatives to identify practical digital solutions capable of improving the competitiveness and resilience of the country's agricultural sector within the framework of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
A Shared Reflection on the Challenges Facing Agricultural Value Chains
The first day of the workshop focused on establishing a common understanding of the current state of agricultural value chains in Côte d'Ivoire.
Discussions highlighted a major paradox: despite the country's significant agricultural potential, the performance of its agricultural value chains remains constrained by weak coordination among key actors in the food system, including producers, processors, distributors, and markets.
This diagnostic exercise helped identify the main challenges to improving information flows, product traceability, and stronger integration across agricultural value chains.
Digital Technologies as a Driver of Agricultural Transformation
The second day featured presentations of digitalization initiatives developed by both public institutions and private sector organizations.
Participants explored innovative solutions designed to improve access to market information, expand digital payment systems, strengthen supply chain management, and facilitate interactions among stakeholders throughout agricultural value chains.
The discussions also highlighted the challenges that remain, particularly the limited access of rural producers to digital technologies, the need for greater capacity building, and the importance of accelerating digital inclusion so that innovation benefits all actors within the agricultural sector.
Recommendations for an Inclusive Digital Transformation
The final day was dedicated to participatory working sessions during which participants developed practical recommendations aimed at promoting the wider adoption of digital solutions.
They emphasized the importance of designing digital tools that are more accessible, better adapted to local realities, and more inclusive, particularly for women, young people, and smallholder farmers.
These recommendations are especially relevant in the context of the implementation of the AfCFTA, whose Protocol on Digital Trade opens new opportunities for the development of e-commerce, the integration of African markets, and the modernization of trade across the continent.
Harnessing Digital Technologies to Enhance Agricultural Competitiveness
At the conclusion of the workshop, participants recognized the strategic role of digital technologies in strengthening food security, improving the efficiency of agricultural value chains, and reducing post-harvest losses by facilitating access to markets, information, and digital services.
The workshop also generated practical recommendations to accelerate the digital transformation of Côte d'Ivoire's agricultural sector and enhance its competitiveness within Africa's single market.
In parallel with the workshop, a five-day advanced capacity-building programme on digital tools was organized to deepen participants' knowledge of innovative technologies applicable to agricultural value chains. This initiative reflects the joint commitment of the National AfCFTA Committee and the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) to promoting an inclusive digital transformation that supports food security, business competitiveness, and African economic integration.