Effect of Regional Integration on Intra-Regional Informal Agricultural Trade in West Africa
Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: This research, based on the gravity model, explores the complex relationship between regional integration and intra-regional informal agricultural trade in West Africa over the period 2010–2022. By assessing the major impact of the ECOWAS Common External Tariff (CET) and the gradual implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), it reveals a paradoxical dynamic: despite institutional progress in regional integration, informal agricultural trade - largely driven by smallscale operators - remains insufficiently addressed in regional policies and strategies. The findings highlight a significant correlation between these integration initiatives and a marked decline in informal agricultural trade, thereby raising critical questions about the effective inclusion of these key actors in regional economic integration frameworks.
Source: European Scientific Journal ESJ
Authors: Kossi Ade Kligue, Koffi Yovo
Institution: University of Lomé
Language: English
Topic: Global trade and economics
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W7082383527