While countries such as Botswana, Namibia and Mozambique seek to protect their domestic agricultural sectors through import restrictions on South African agricultural products, Wandile explains why these measures undermine the very principles of regional integration, disrupt food security, increase costs for farmers and consumers, and weaken opportunities for shared growth across Southern Africa.
Rather than building barriers, Wandile makes the case for deeper regional collaboration through technology sharing, stronger agricultural value chains and more agile trade agreements that allow Southern African countries to grow together.
He also explores how global trade uncertainty – including shifting US tariff policies – makes regional cooperation more important than ever, and why a refreshed SACU could strengthen both South Africa’s export ambitions and the broader goals of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
