In a powerful new report, the World Bank warns that the battle against hunger in Africa is being lost not in the fields, but on the road. The problem isn’t just about growing more food it’s about getting it to where it’s needed. Titled “Transport for Food Security in Sub-Saharan Africa,” the report sheds light on a broken supply chain that causes 37% of locally produced food to spoil before it reaches consumers.
Across the continent, food meant to feed millions is left to rot in trucks stuck at dilapidated ports, jammed at chaotic borders, or delayed on potholed roads. For a region where 58% of people already face food insecurity, such losses are devastating.
Supply Chain Strain
Compared to Europe, Africa’s food supply chains are four times longer translating into higher transport costs, increased spoilage, and elevated prices for everyday staples. These logistical failures not only make food scarcer and more expensive, they also undercut regional economies.
To confront this the report pinpoints 50 critical transport hubs whose upgrade could shift the tide: 10 major ports, 20 high-volume border crossings, and 20 essential road corridors. Investments here could drastically cut post-harvest food loss and stabilize food prices.
What Needs to Change?
The World Bank outlines clear, tangible interventions:
- Port upgrades to cut unloading times and customs delays.
- Paved rural roads and new bypasses around congested cities.
- Digital customs systems and harmonized trade policies at borders.
- Cold storage networks to preserve perishable food during transit.
Fixing these weak links won’t just reduce waste it will also spark job creation in infrastructure, logistics, and warehousing, expanding economic opportunities in both rural and urban settings.
Big Money, Big Vision
To drive this shift, the World Bank has pledged $45 billion toward global food and nutrition programs, with a strong focus on Africa. Over 327 million people are expected to benefit.
Among the flagship projects:
- Ethiopia: A $300 million rural road initiative connecting farmers to markets and lifting local economies.
- Tanzania: The $345 million Dar es Salaam Maritime Gateway Project is modernizing one of East Africa’s busiest ports.
- Djibouti: Upgrades to key trade corridors aim to strengthen the region’s food flow and economic integration.
Transport failures don’t stop at borders and neither should the solutions. The report calls for pan-African coordination to unify standards, fast-track cross-border trade, and jointly develop infrastructure that serves the continent as a whole.
As Africa confronts compounding pressures from climate change, conflict, and population growth, logistics may well determine whether it feeds itself or falters. But if governments and partners act on these recommendations, Africa could trade waste for abundance and rewrite its food future.