Saliou Sarr
Food sovereignty and regional integration are the main expectations of the Network of Farmers’ and Agricultural Producers’ Organisations of West Africa (ROPPA) with regard to the EPAs. At the same time, these agreements in their current form only portend, for them, poverty and threats to the survival of the region’s farmers.
PROPAC wonders how family farming can benefit from the EPAs
Alexandre Manga Ndzana
Alexandre Manga Ndzana is most concerned about the lot of family farming: How will it stand the competition from Europe? How will the EPAs make it easier to export to Europe? If Central Africa wants to draw any benefit at all from this agreement, then more time is needed for it to negotiate the terms.
Map : Overview of Trade between the Europeen Union and ACP Countries
Eastern Africa: Let’s sign, negotiations will still continue
Julius P. Moto
While they consider the EPAs to be «a very good objective for economic development and to promote better regional integration», farmers in Eastern Africa draw attention to their concerns about opening their markets. Nonetheless, fearing the lack of a satisfactory alternative, they will support the EPA.
Southern Africa: keep negotiating to obtain an agreement that is favourable to farmers
Ishmael D. Sunga
For Ishmael Sunga, certain key issues need to be dealt with before trade. Nonetheless, he does admit that the answer does not lie in fighting against the signing of an EPA. He proposes that the remaining negotiation time be used to better inform farmers, so that their interests can be better taken into account in the agreement texts.