Trade Forward

Women are key stakeholders in Africa's economic development as they make up 70% of the continent's informal traders. In this episode, we will explore how women-led small business can benefit from intra-African trade through the implementation of the Africa Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). We are joined by  Myra Engelmann, Proprietor of Pofeyster investment, a company engaged in exporting beadwork products made by women from the pastoral communities across Africa. She seeks greater integration of bead workers in the access of international markets.   

Despite its expansion, Africa’s contribution to global and intra-regional trade remains relatively low. Many scholars and researchers attribute low levels of intra-African trade to the fact that many cross-border trade flows are unrecorded. How far are we, as ordinary citizens, from being able to understand the deeper meaning and cultural embeddedness of informal cross-border trade, in a way that goes beyond the notion of “smugglers” as mere criminals? Is there really a need to formalize this type of trade, when it is such an integral part of the lives of those who live in the borderlands?  To answer these questions we have invited Dr. Thomas Hüsken, Associate Professor at the Department of Social Anthropology, University of Bayreuth, who talks about how the phenomenon of informal cross-border trade is interlinked with culture. This podcast is provided by the International Trade Centre (ITC) for information purposes only. Reference to any specific product, service or entity does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation by ITC. Information or opinions provided by guests in this podcast are based on their own experiences and knowledge and can in no way be taken to reflect the official opinion of, or endorsement by, ITC. Views expressed in this podcast are those of the authors and do not necessarily coincide with those of ITC, the United Nations or the World Trade Organization.    

Informal Cross-Border Trade is a major economic activity in Africa. It serves as a major source of income for about 43% of Africa’s population, and provides employment for up to 75% of the active labor force. But what exactly do we mean when we talk about informal cross-border trade? In this podcast, we will discuss the trade practices of individuals or groups who move goods across borders while fully or partially avoiding border controls and the payment of customs duties and other taxes.  To tell us more about the sociocultural aspect of informal cross-border trade, we have invited Dr. Thomas Hüsken, an associate professor at the Department of Social Anthropology at the University of Bayreuth.

A crucial element of e-commerce is the timely and reliable delivery of goods. Postal service is the crux of this. Today we are joined by Mr. Dan Kagwe, Postmaster General of Posta Kenya, and Mr. Twahir Mohamed, CEO of Taz technologies, an innovative ICT company that is  steadily  growing in  various  African  countries. In this episode, we discuss the need for small business owners to remain agile in changing times and the benefits of learning and incorporating e-commerce to increase business opportunities.

4 out of 10 small businesses said they could permanently close due to the pandemic according to ITC’s COVID-19 Business Impact Survey. Resilient companies were 5 times less likely to lay off employees during the pandemic, and were more likely to have stable sales. To help us understand what sets resilient businesses apart, we have with us John Robin, Managing Director of Benjo’s Seamoss, a small beverage firm producing seaweed-based drinks in Dominica.

Access to reliable and affordable internet connection is the backbone of today’s interconnected global economy. Yet across Africa, internet penetration remains at just 39.2%. Sub-Saharan Africans continue to pay some of the highest monthly fees for internet.   To help us learn more about SMEs and startups' important role in making digital connectivity more affordable, reliable, and accessible for Africans, we have with us Emeka Ebo and Joseph de Durfort, the co-winners of the International Trade Centre’s #FastTrackTech challenge.

One million. One million animal and plant species could go extinct, many within decades – that’s more than ever before in human history. Reversing biodiversity loss requires a shift away from business as usual. How can businesses become more biodiversity-friendly and by doing so, contribute to conservation and sustainable trade? To help us understand how small businesses can help drive the change needed to address the biodiversity crisis, we have with us Andrew Kingman, Managing Director of Eco-Micaia, a social enterprise from Mozambique that supports local communities and associations producing biodiverse products.

Hailing from the island of Jamaica, Pamela Coke-Hamilton took the helm of the International Trade Centre in October 2020 in the middle of a semi-lockdown in Geneva. Her career in trade spans more than 3 decades and has taken her from the Caribbean to the United States to Switzerland. Formerly at UNCTAD as the Director of International Trade and Commodities and as Executive Director of the Caribbean Export Development Agency, Pamela is accustomed to taking the lead.  In the first episode of our second season, Pamela shares her story, her perspectives and the mark she wants to make on the world of international trade.

Tourism accounts for one in every 10 jobs on the planet. Before the COVID-19 outbreak, there were 45 tourist arrivals worldwide every second. Is this high number possible without major negative consequences for people and the planet… and vice versa? To learn how to balance the economic and ecological consequences of tourism, we interview Asmaa Kherrati, co-founder of Enjoy Agriculture, a Senegalese startup that promotes agritourism on the African continent, and Julio Andrés Rozo Grisales, founder of Amazonía Emprende, a sustainable tourism provider and sustainable business incubator. Can sustainable tourism be the solution? This episode was possible thanks to the collaboration with the United Nations World Tourism Organization. 

15% of the global population experience some form of disability. And 80% of people with disabilities live in developing countries. Differently-abled people are more likely to face socio-economic hardships. And yet their varied experiences and skills are an asset. Research shows that diversity in an organization leads to innovation and increased revenues.  So how can this be better reflected in the workforce, to make trade more inclusive, on a global scale?To learn about inclusion of differently-abled people, we hear from Robin F. Baker, Executive Director and Co-Founder of GoTherapy, a nonprofit organization working to improve access and quality of occupational, physical and speech therapy services for persons living with disabilities in Sub-Saharan Africa. Is inclusive trade actually inclusive?

Did you know that 15 years ago, streaming made up 0% of global music revenue? Now, it makes up more than half! Technology is changing the way music is made and sold: the physical trade in creative goods is giving way to digital. So how are artists – who build businesses around their passions – adapting in a world where their songs live online, on platforms they don’t own? How are they making money... and protecting their work? To help us understand how artists are adapting their business models to keep doing what they love while generating revenue, we have with us today Chaka Nyathando aka Pompi, a multi-award-winning artist and founder of entertainment company Atmosphere Nation from Zambia.  

Agricultural technology – if you think those two words don’t go together, then you'd be surprised to hear that demand for agritech – from vertical farming to agricultural apps to farm drones – is growing and becoming the new normal. In 2019, for example, Africa more than doubled its venture capital funding for agri-food tech… and Latin America closed more deals in agri-food tech last year than it did in the entire venture capital industry in 2017. This is important because farmers will have to feed more than 11 billion people by the end of the century, according to the UN. At the same time, the sector has to cope with challenges such as climate change, ageing farmers, changing trade patterns, and now the Covid-19 pandemic. To learn about the future of agriculture and specifically about agriculture in Kenya, we talk to Peter Muthee Mwangi, a Kenyan sustainable agri-preneur and co-founder of FarmWorks who works with ITC’s Alliances for Action Programme and Network.

You are not imagining it: 2019 closed out the hottest decade on record, according to NASA. Rising temperatures have a direct impact on trade and developing countries are most vulnerable to these effects because they are less able to adapt. Can trade be climate-friendly? To learn about the opportunities and challenges of making climate-friendly trade a reality, in this episode we heard from Edward Mungai, CEO of the Kenya Climate Innovation Centre, which helps local entrepreneurs develop clean-energy solutions. For more info on sustainable trade, check out the “Trade for Sustainable Development” (T4SD) initiative, by the International Trade Centre (ITC). The initiative works to help small businesses chart their path to more sustainable trade by connecting them with business partners and enabling their understanding of the sustainability landscape.

In two decades, 95% of all purchases will be made online, according to Nasdaq. Surprised? The internet is breaking down traditional barriers to international trade, making it easier for small businesses to go global for the first time.  E-commerce is about more than getting products online or making online payments possible. Have you ever wondered how businesses do last-mile delivery in areas where streets don’t have names? Or how small businesses can compete with big e-commerce firms that have resources to provide great after-sales care? To understand opportunities and challenges in e-commerce, we hear from the founder of Kapruka.com, the largest e-commerce platform in Sri Lanka. To know more about e-commerce, you can learn about ITC’s e-commerce initiative (ecomConnect) and join the ITC #ecomConnect community engagement platform for e-commerce entrepreneurs.

Small businesses can help the biggest organizations to tackle global challenges, like lack of access to energy. Did you know that one in ten people live without electricity? Access to electricity is critical to achieve the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. For such a large challenge, you wouldn’t think it would be the small firms tackling them head on! To learn how one small, innovative enterprise is supporting some of the world’s largest development organizations, we hear from the founders of Tespack, a mobile solar energy solutions company based in Finland. Headed up by two young leaders, Tespack provides standalone access to energy to power digital learning and sustainable development solutions in remote areas. Learn what all the buzz is about here!

Most businesses in the world – up to 95% – are small businesses. The coronavirus pandemic has left many of them behind: most will not have enough cash to survive a month-long break during the coronavirus pandemic. As a result, businesses are being forced to behave in extraordinary ways. But every cloud has a silver lining, and while this crisis has a tremendous impact, it will also provide a trigger for innovation. To learn how small businesses are adapting and reinventing themselves, we hear from two businesses, Artisan.Fashion from Kenya and MaiyaMuna from The Gambia. For more info, check out the International Trade Centre's efforts to support youth through its ITC Youth Empowerment Project and the fashion industry through ITC Ethical Fashion Initiative.

What challenges are small businesses facing during the COVID-19 outbreak? Some of these firms have only enough cash to last a few days. So how can international players work together to help small businesses adapt quickly, in practical ways?  In this episode, we talk to John Denton, Secretary General of the International Chamber of Commerce – which represents more than 45 million companies in over 100 countries – about key actions to take to tackle the challenges of small businesses now and beyond COVID-19. Learn more here about how the International Trade Centre provides training and guidance to support small businesses during COVID-19!

How can farmers produce more – in a way that’s good for people and planet – to feed the booming global population? And how can agriculture attract young people? Fact: Most farmers are close to retirement age. To answer these questions and more, we talk to agriculture expert Samuel Adimado, Managing Director of Kuapa Kokoo, a cooperative of cocoa farmers in Ghana and a leading producer of ethical cocoa beans. For more info, check out the International Trade Centre's efforts to support farmers and improve sustainability in global value chains through the Alliances for Actions Initiative. 

Digital is changing how business is done. How can entrepreneurs succeed online… at scale? That's an 'invisible' role that business support organizations play. In this episode, we ask Christian Jekinnou, the former Executive Manager of Afric’Innov, an innovation programme dedicated to supporting entrepreneurship in Africa, how accelerators, incubators, fablabs and other business support organizations can boost entrepreneurship. Learn more about Afric'Innov here. You can also check out the International Trade Centre's efforts to support digital entrepreneurship through the Digital Entrepreneurship Initiative in Africa.

How do you picture young innovators? What is the role of youth in global trade? We talk to Charles Ofori Antipem, co-founder of the global award-winning Ghanaian start-up Dext Technology, who shares his ideas on what it means to be a young boss. His goal is to innovate to see more scientists rise from Africa. Hear his inspiring story.  Learn more about Dext Technology and their Science Set. You can also check out the International Trade Centre's efforts to support young people through the Youth and Trade Programme.