Where does AfroTools get its commodity price data?
Prices are sourced from FEWS NET (Famine Early Warning Systems Network), FAO FPMA (Food Price Monitoring and Analysis), WFP VAM (Vulnerability Analysis and Mapping), and national market information systems. Data is updated monthly — see the "Last Updated" date on the dashboard.
Why do African commodity prices differ so much from global benchmarks?
African farm-gate and wholesale prices diverge from global benchmarks due to: transport costs to port, export taxes and levies, currency depreciation, domestic supply-demand gaps, government price controls (e.g. cocoa in Côte d'Ivoire and Ghana), and infrastructure gaps. In some cases (cocoa, coffee) farmers receive only 30–60% of the international price.
What is the lean season and how does it affect food prices?
The lean season (or "hunger gap") is the period just before the new harvest when food stocks are depleted. In Sahel and unimodal rainfall zones this is typically May–August. Cereal prices during the lean season can be 40–80% higher than post-harvest lows. Farmers who store grain and sell during the lean season earn significantly more.
How can I use this tool as a farmer or trader?
Use the dashboard to: (1) Check current prices before selling; (2) Compare your price against neighbouring countries; (3) See whether prices are rising or falling; (4) Use the Revenue Estimator to calculate expected income from a harvest; (5) Understand seasonal patterns to decide when to sell vs store.
About This Commodity Price Dashboard
This dashboard tracks current and historical prices for Africa's key agricultural commodities — maize, rice, sorghum, millet, cowpea, cassava/garri, cocoa, coffee, sesame, and groundnut — across major producing and trading countries. Prices reflect farm-gate or wholesale market levels, not retail consumer prices.
Why Commodity Price Transparency Matters for African Farmers
The majority of Africa's 60+ million smallholder farmers lack access to real-time market price information. Without this, they often sell at low post-harvest prices to traders who hold and resell at much higher lean-season prices. Market information tools like this one can help farmers make better sell/store decisions, negotiate fairer prices, and plan their production around market demand.
Data Sources & Methodology
Price data is compiled monthly from FEWS NET market monitoring bulletins, FAO's Food Price Monitoring and Analysis (FPMA) tool, WFP VAM (Vulnerability Analysis and Mapping) market dashboards, and official national market information systems where available. Prices are typically wholesale market prices at major trading hubs. USD conversion uses approximate monthly exchange rates from IMF data. Data is updated on the 1st of each month.