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Improving Diet Quality in West Africa- The Role of Intra-regional Food Trade

  • Publication | 2026
Global Food and Nutrition Security

KEY MESSAGES:

  • Diet quality in West Africa is constrained by insufficient diversity, limited affordability of healthy diets, and underconsumption of highly nutritious foods. Consumption of unhealthy, ultra-processed foods remains low but is on the rise.
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  • Up to 85% of intra-regional food trade in West Africa is unrecorded. Foods central to nutritious diets are especially poorly captured. Official statistics thus substantially understate the contribution of regional markets to nutrient supply.
  • Intra-regional food trade plays an important but underestimated role in diet quality by supporting year-round food supply, especially in urban areas. But its benefits are limited by affordability constraints and weak food environments, while trade can also increase the availability of unhealthy foods.
  • Trade policies can strengthen the contribution of intra-regional food trade to healthier diets by improving the availability and affordability of nutritious foods. However, complementary nutrition and food-environment policies are also needed to curb the spread of unhealthy foods and ensure poorer households can benefit from more diverse food supply.
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Resources
More information and links
Authors
Alban Mas Aparisi, Rebecca McLaren, Jamie Morrison , Stella Nordhagen, Koffi Zougbédé
Available from

26 Aug 2026

Related organisation(s)Global Alliance for the Future of Food (GFAR)
Knowledge service | MetadataGlobal Food and Nutrition Security | Food crises and food and nutrition security | Access to foodBalanced dietFood availability
Digital Europa Thesaurus (DET)trade policyagricultural marketregional integration
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