Abstract:
Market access for livestock products from Africa has traditionally been
limited by the presence of certain infectious diseases that pose risks to
animal and human health. However, an increasingly discussed option for
widening that access is commodity-based trade (CBT) focusing on the
health and safety attributes of the product rather than the disease status of
the country of origin. There have, however, been few analyses on the
potential economic impacts and unintended consequences of such an
approach. This article examines the principles behind a dramatic shift in
approach to trading opportunities that CBT might bring, exploring both
technical and economic considerations.