On June 2, 2025, Dr Vasu Gounden, the Founder and Executive Director of ACCORD, moderated a session at the Market Access Africa (MAA) conference held in Durban, South Africa. The conference took place from June 2 to June 3, 2025. The session led by Dr Gounden focused on “Harmonizing Agricultural Standards: Overcoming Regulatory Barriers to Market Access.”
Market Access Africa serves as a vital platform where Africa’s agri-food industry meets global opportunities. It connects agro-processors, buyers, traders, financiers, policymakers, and smallholder farmers to enhance export readiness, ensure standards compliance, and promote cross-border trade. Held in Durban, which is home to Africa’s busiest container port, the MAA conference is strategically positioned to support market entry, supply chain development, and sustainable growth.
During the session, policymakers, investors, and agribusiness leaders gathered to discuss how fragmented regulations, inconsistent quality standards, and duplicative certification processes hinder intra-Africa trade and global competitiveness. The discussion highlighted successful models for standard alignment, the role of digital traceability tools, and how harmonization could lower barriers for smallholder producers and agribusinesses. The aim of the session was to identify practical, cross-sector strategies for building a more integrated, efficient, and trustworthy African agricultural market.
