ECONOMIC INTEGRATION, TRADE FACILITATION AND AGRICULTURAL EXPORTS PERFORMANCE IN ECOWAS COUNTRIES
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ABBI Books Ltd
Abstract
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This study examined the interaction between economic integration and
trade facilitation in ECOWAS and how the regional bloc has performed
in promoting agricultural export. The objectives of the study were
achieved using descriptive, statistical and econometric analyses of
annual data covering the period 1995 2009. The descriptive analysis
helped in assessing the level of economic integration in ECOWAS
Members. The statistical and econometric analyses were relied on to
examine the effect of economic integration on trade facilitation as well
as the role of trade facilitation and economic integration in promoting
agricultural exports in ECOWAS. The findings suggest that on the
average, the level of trade facilitation in ECOWAS is below world
average. It was also found that ECOWAS members with more
bureauc rat i c proc e s s e s e xpe r i enc e great e r cos t s of
exporting/importing. Evidence from the study also reveals a sustained
growth in agricultural production and a close relationship between
agricultural production and agricultural exports in the region.
Furthermore, results from econometric analyses indicate that economic
integration significantly helps in facilitating trade within the ECOWAS
sub-region. On the other hand, economic integration and trade
facilitation were also found to be significant in influencing agricultural
exports in the ECOWAS sub-region, while agricultural production had
direct and significant impact on agricultural exports. Some policy
recommendations that would help to facilitate trade as well as improve
agricultural exports in ECOWAS sub-region were made in the study.
Keywords
H Social Sciences (General), S Agriculture (General)