Liberia Agricultural and Environmental Journalists Network (LAEJN) Promote informed journalism and public engagement on agricultural and environmental nalists Network (LAEJN)
Nairobi, Kenya, Friday, August 7, 2026 – Africa supplies much of the world’s cocoa, shea, cashew, gum Arabic and several other tree commodities, yet captures less than 10 percent of the global market value for most of them.
The result is an economic paradox. While the continent is rich in biological resources derived from trees, much of the wealth they generate is created elsewhere. Africa supplies the raw materials, while other parts of the world reap the benefits through processing, manufacturing and higher-value industries.
A new report published by Landscape Alliance (previously known as CIFOR-ICRAF) argues that closing this value gap could transform trees, forests and agroforestry into engines of green industrialization and economic growth rather than simply sources of raw commodities. Achieving this will require greater investment in value addition, innovation and supportive policies to help create jobs, strengthen rural economies and address climate change.
The report, titled Tree-powered bioeconomies in Africa, shows that tree commodities are grown on more than 100 million hectares across the continent. It also highlights Africa’s dominant position in global production. The continent is the world’s leading producer of shea, baobab and argan oil. It supplies about 70 percent of the world’s cocoa beans, up to 90 percent of gum arabic and more than half of the world’s cashew nuts. Nevertheless, many of these commodities are exported with little processing. This denies African economies the full benefits of value addition.
“Africa is not short of tree resources. It is short of value capture. Every year we export millions of tonnes of raw tree commodities, while the processing, manufacturing, innovation and higher-paying jobs they could support are created elsewhere. This report shows that we can change that by investing in value addition, strengthening local industries and putting in place policies that enable African businesses to compete in global bioeconomy markets,” says Dr Peter Minang, Africa Director at Landscape Alliance and lead author of the report.
The report identifies opportunities far beyond traditional timber and agricultural exports. Africa has documented more than 5,400 plant species with 16,000 known medicinal applications. These include trees such as Prunus africana, as well as shrubs, herbs, climbers and other plants that provide a strong foundation for developing pharmaceuticals, nutraceuticals, cosmetics and other high-value bio-based products. However, the continent produces only 2–3 percent of the medicines it consumes, despite an annual pharmaceutical market worth around USD 50 billion.
The findings also reveal substantial opportunities to reduce losses and increase returns. Up to 44 percent of perishable tree fruits, including mangoes, avocados and citrus, are lost after harvest each year across many African countries because of limited processing, storage and market access.
Meanwhile, demand for wood products in Africa is projected to triple by 2050. This presents significant opportunities to grow industries that produce sustainable construction materials, furniture, paper and packaging.
The report also highlights critical policy gaps. Only three African countries currently have comprehensive national bioeconomy policies, while just one regional bioeconomy strategy exists. The authors argue that stronger policy frameworks, together with investment and private sector partnerships, will be essential to unlock Africa’s tree-powered bioeconomy.
“The future of Africa’s bioeconomy will not be determined by how many trees we grow, but by how much value we create from them,” Dr Minang said.
“That means investing in science, innovation, entrepreneurship, processing industries, financing and policies that keep more value within African economies. If we get that right, trees can become powerful drivers of industrial growth, rural prosperity and environmental sustainability.”
About Landscape Alliance
Landscape Alliance transforms science into action by unlocking the power of trees, forests and agroforestry landscapes to advance planetary health and human well-being. The organisation works at the intersection of science, policy and practice to deliver systems-level solutions for interconnected global challenges. It focuses on the power of trees, forests and agroforestry landscapes to address the climate crisis, biodiversity loss, food and nutrition insecurity, and persistent inequalities in livelihoods and well-being.
