Yaroslavl, Yaroslavl, Russian Federation
The agricultural sector in ECOWAS faces low exchange volumes compared to other regions. Developing agricultural production and trade is crucial for achieving food security, that is priority for member nations. Aimed and strengthening production systems enhance intra-community commerce and integrate regional markets. However, ECOWAS’s diverse agricultural potential is hindered by fragmentation and the difference in national interests, making integration vital for fostering intra-regional trade. We intend to identify the effects and influencing factors on agricultural commodity flows. The objective of this study is to analyze the effect of the regional integration on the trade of agricultural raw materials of the fifteen ECOWAS economies over the period 2015-2020. This question was addressed using a gravity model. The methodological approach is essentially based on several models. The Hsiao test, the Hausman test, the Heteroskedasticity test were used to analyse models’ specifications. The Pseudo Maximum Likelihood Poisson estimate of this model indicates that the level of development of countries through the wealth, quality of infrastructure and the level of regional integration have an influence on trade but the different effects. The combination of agricultural policy (ECOWAP/PDDAA) has not achieved its objectives, it has no effect on trade. Moreover, the common external tariff has a different effect depending on the trade indicator chosen. Comprehensive implementation of the common external tariff across all ECOWAS countries is necessary to enhance bilateral trade. The agricultural policies must be coordinated and systematically monitored to improve their productivity, food security, and rural livelihoods. Thus, integration of agricultural trade within ECOWAS shows significant potential.
agriculture integration, regional integration, agriculture trade, ECOWAS, common external tariff, gravity model, zero trade, agricultural policies
1. Abdoul, M., Dahou K., Guèye C., Hazard, E. (2007). Le cas de la Sénégambie Méridionale dans «Les dynamiques transfrontalières en Afrique de l’Ouest», ENDA DIAPOL Karthala.
2. Avom, D. et Gbetnkom, D. (2005). Intégration Par Le Marché : Le Cas De L’Uemoa // Region et Developpement, LEAD, Universite du Sud - Toulon Var, Vol. 22, R. 85-103.
3. Avom, D. et Mbouandi Njikam, M. (2013). Intégration par le marché cas des pays de la CEEAC // Conference economiaue africaine, 28 - 30 Octobre 2013, Johannesbourg-Afrique du Sud.
4. Camara, I. (2013), Impact des unions monétaires sur les échanges: le cas de l’UEMOA // African Economic Conference CEA 2013, Regional Integration in Africa, Conference Paper.
5. Carrère, C. (2004). African Regional Agreements: Impact on Trade with or without Currency Unions // Journal of African Economies. Vol. 13. No. 2. R. 199-239. EDN: https://elibrary.ru/IQSGHJ
6. Carrère, C. (2013). UEMOA et CEMAC : Quelle performance en matière de commerce ? // Revue d’économie du développement. Vol. 1. № 21. R. 33-60. URL: https://doi.org/10.3917/edd.271.0033
7. CEDEAO (2005). Plan d’actions régional 2006-2010 pour la mise en œuvre de la Politique Agricole de la CEDEAO (ECOWAP) et du PDDAA/NEPAD en Afrique de l’Ouest, 49 p. URL : https://www.diplomatie.gouv.fr/IMG/pdf/03_Plan_d_actions_2006_2010_version_juin_05.pdf
8. Ceglowski, J. (2006). Does Gravity Matter in A Service Economy? // Review of World Economics. Vol. 142. Issue 2. R. 307-29. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10290-006-0069-5; EDN: https://elibrary.ru/BUKKDE
9. Kimura, F. et Lee, H. (2006). The Gravity Equation in International Trade in Services // Review of World Economies. Vol. 142, Issue 1. R. 92-121.
10. Kpepaptsoglou, K., Karlaftis, Matthew G., Tsamboulas, D. (2010). The gravity model specification for modeling international trade flows and free trade agreement effects: a 10-year review of empirical studies// The Open Economics Journal. Vol.3. P. 1-13. URL : https://doi.org/10.2174/1874919401003010001
11. Limao, N., Venables, A. J. (2001). Infrastructure, Geographical Disadvantage, and Transport Cost // The World Bank Economic Review 15. №. 3(3). R. 451-479. DOIhttps://doi.org/10.1093/wber/15.3.451
12. Linnemann, H. (1966), An Econometric Study of International Trade Flows. Amsterdam: North Holland Publishing Co. URL : https://archive.org/details/econometricstudy0000linn/page/n7/mode/2up
13. Martinez-Zarzoso, I. (2013). The Log of Gravity Revisited // Applied Economics. Vol. 45. №. 3. R. 311–27. URL : https://hal.science/hal-00734529v1
14. Masudur R., Arjuman L. (2010). Bangladesh trade potential: A dynamic gravity approach // Journal of International Trade Law and Policy №. 9(2). R.130-147. DOIhttps://doi.org/10.1108/14770021011054296
15. McCallum, J. (1995). National Borders Matter: Canada-U.S. Regional Trade Patterns // The American Economic Review. Vol. 85. R. 615–23. URL : https://api.semanticscholar.org/CorpusID:152433069 EDN: https://elibrary.ru/GLVSAY
16. McCord, G., Sachs, J., Wing, T., (2005). Understanding African Poverty: Beyond the Washington Consensus to the Millenium Development Goal Approach // Africa in the World Economy. FONDAD. URL : https://www.researchgate.net/publication/237273080_Understanding_Africa_Poverty_Beyond_the_Washington_Consensus_to_the_Millennium_Development_Goals_Approach
17. Montenegro, C., Soloaga, I., (2006). NAFTA’s trade effects: New evidence with a gravity model // Estudios de economía. № 33(1). URL : https://hdl.handle.net/10419/66697
18. Ndong, B., Mboup, S. D. (2013). Accords commerciaux et flux de commerce dans la CEDEAO : le partage d’une monnaie unique est-il determinant // African Economic Conference CEA 2013, Regional Integration in Africa, Conference Paper. URL : https://archive.uneca.org/sites/default/files/uploaded-documents/AEC/2013/accords_commerciaux_et_flux_de_commerce_dans_la_cedeao.pdf
19. Pöyhönen P., (1963). A Tentative Model for the Volume of Trade between Countries // Weltwirtschaftliches Archive. №90. R. 93-100.
20. Rose, A. (2000). One Money, One Market: the Effect of Common Currencies on Trade // Economic Policy. Vol. 15. № 30. URL : http://www.nber.org/papers/w7432
21. Tinbergen J., (1963). Shaping the World Economy : suggestions for an international Economic Policy. New York : The Twentieth Century Fund. Currencies on Trade // Economic Policy. Vol. 15. № 30. URL : https://archive.org/details/shapingworldecon0000tinb
22. Tchitchoua, J., Nguekeng, B. (2020). Compétitivité et ouverture commerciale : une étude empirique du cas BRICS et Afrique Sub-saharienne // Repères et Perspectives Economiques. Vol. 4. №1. URL : https://doi.org/10.34874/IMIST.PRSM/RPE/18990
23. Vigninou, G. (2017). Intégration Régionale et Commerce Agricole Bilatéral en Afrique de L’Ouest // African Development Review. Vol. 29, № S2. R. 147-162.
24. Walsh, K. (2006). Trade in Services : Does Gravity Hold ? A Gravity Model Approach to Estimating Barriers to Services Trade // HIS Discussion Paper. №. 183. Dublin : Institute for International Integration Studies (HIS).
25. Williamson, O.E. (1979). Transaction-Cost Economics: The Governance Of Contractual Relations // The Journal of Law and Economics. Vol. 22. № 2. R. 233-61.
26. Wumi K. O. , Evans, O., Henry, O. et al. (2015). Economic Integration, Trade Facilitation and Agricultural Exports Performance in ECOWAS Sub-Region // Regional Integration and Trade in Africa. UK / Editors: M. Ncube, I. Faye, A. Verdier-Chouchane. Publisher: Palgrave Macmillan. R. 31-46.
