Abstract
This article examines the political economy of agricultural trade between China and Africa. It moves beyond macroeconomic statistics to analyze the human and structural impacts on the ground. It highlights China's pressing food security needs alongside Africa's urgent drive for agricultural modernization. Bilateral trade has grown rapidly over the past decade. It shows strong product complementarity. Yet, it remains highly concentrated in a few specific countries. China relies heavily on this trade to secure a stable food supply for its urbanizing population. Meanwhile, the transfer of Chinese agricultural technology creates complex strategic dependencies for African farming communities. By incorporating qualitative insights, the article addresses infrastructure hurdles, local farmer perspectives, and regional instability. It proposes practical pathways for balanced cooperation. These include market diversification, infrastructure investment, and local value addition. The ultimate goal is to ensure international trade translates into sustainable livelihoods for local populations.
References
Anderson, J. E., & Van Wincoop, E. (2003). Gravity with gravitas: A solution to the border puzzle. American Economic Review, 93(1), 170–192. doi.org
Brautigam, D. (2015). Will Africa feed China? Oxford University Press.
Jiang, L. (2020). Beyond official development assistance: Chinese development cooperation and African agriculture. Palgrave Macmillan.Ma, Z., Wang, R., Lin, F., Zhang, Q., & Otumawu-Apreku, K. (2025). Impact of China–Africa agricultural trade on food security: facts and quantitative analysis. Frontiers of Agricultural Science and Engineering, 12(4), 718-728. doi.org
Nse, O. M. N. (2024). Research on the development and problems of Sino-African agricultural products trade [Unpublished bachelor's thesis]. School of International Education.
Pepa, M., & Minoia, P. (2024). China-Africa agricultural cooperation and the promises of modernization.
Palgrave Macmillan.
Xie, J., & Liu, X. (2015). Direct impacts and spatial spillovers: How does the multilateral resistance affect China-Africa agricultural trade? China Finance and Economic Review, 4(4), 95–114.
Yang, L., & Yang, R. (2025). Analysis of China-Africa agricultural cooperation situation. International Relations and Diplomacy, 13(2), 39-49. doi.org
Zhang, H. (2019). Securing the "rice bowl": China and global food security. Palgrave Macmillan.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Copyright (c) 2026 NINFODORA NSE ONDO MBASOGO, ANGEL ONDO ANGÜE METE