Droughts and other shocks have driven hunger and food prices up across Africa[1][2]. In 2022, droughts left 20 million Africans short of food[1]; meanwhile, countries relying on Ukrainian and Russian grain saw staples like bread and oil become unaffordable[2]. Yet many governments lack timely data on harvests or stocks, making it hard to respond when crises hit.

Data Gaps

  • Sparse crop data: Many nations lack up-to-date farm production figures. A new analysis calls the region's agricultural data "severe[ly] scarce,"[3] so planners often guess harvest sizes instead of real figures.
  • Hidden trade flows: In West Africa, 85% of regional food trade happens outside official records[4]. Staples like maize, cassava and yams cross borders informally, so official data miss the true flows.
  • Missing market signals: Rural price data can be scarce, leaving officials blind to surging costs and often reacting too late.

Data for Resilience

  • Early warning: Weather data and satellites can flag a bad harvest before it happens, letting governments import food or release reserves in time, preventing last-minute panic.
  • Market monitoring: Real-time price tracking alerts authorities to sudden spikes, so they can release buffer stocks or subsidies to stabilize markets[5].
  • Coordinating trade: Counting both formal and informal flows lets neighbors share food instead of hoarding. Experts note that better data "enhance food supply diversity, accessibility and price stability"[5].
  • Targeted aid: Detailed data helps social programs reach people who need help. For example, a World Bank report describes a Congolese cash transfer program that used mobile tools to feed 270,000 people during a food crisis[6].

Strengthening data systems - from farm surveys to trade records - is key to stopping future food shocks. With clearer numbers, governments can act faster to keep prices stable[5].

Sources

Recent analyses highlight both the data gaps and the promise of better information in African food systems[3][4][5]. For example, experts note that much intra-African food trade is informal and unrecorded[4], while initiatives using digital tools have helped reach vulnerable households despite data limits[6]. These lessons show that investing in timely, accurate agricultural and market data can make food systems more resilient.

  1. Food Security: Strengthening Africa's food systems | Brookings
  2. Putting Africans at the Heart of Food Security and Climate Resilience
  3. HarvestStat Africa - Harmonized Subnational Crop Statistics for Sub-Saharan Africa | Scientific Data
  4. Unseen and Untracked: 85% of $10Bln Food Trade Escapes the Books in West Africa - Ecofin Agency

Note: Some sources are combined as per [2] [6] etc.