An interview with Fabio Politi, Managing Director MSC Mediterranean Shipping Côte d'Ivoire

The agricultural sector has always been one of the pillars of the Ivorian economy. As the world's leading producer of cocoa beans and cashew nuts, Côte d'Ivoire is a key player in this sector. A few key figures demonstrate the importance of the sector in Côte d'Ivoire: over 25% of GDP, Ivorian cocoa accounts for 40% of world production, and over 50% of the working population is employed in the agricultural sector.

In addition to cocoa and cashew nuts, coffee, cotton, palm oil and rubber, as well as cassava, plantain and many other crops, come from these fertile, well-watered lands. Backed by its agricultural sector, Côte d'Ivoire is a sub-regional economic powerhouse, contributing more than a third of the WAEMU's GDP and over 40% of the zone's exports.

At a time when the Salon International de l'Agriculture et des Ressources Animales is taking place in Abidjan, relaunched by the government to enhance, promote and develop all the riches of Côte d'Ivoire's agricultural, livestock and fisheries sector, it's time to reflect on the factors catalyzing the sector's economic contribution.

Despite its crucial importance, logistical challenges weigh heavily on Côte d'Ivoire's agricultural sector, hampering its growth and efficiency. Infrastructure remains the primary challenge, and the Côte d'Ivoire government's efforts in this area are commendable. The difficulty of moving agricultural produce in a timely manner, resulting in delays and increased costs, has an economic impact on the business.

The limited availability of robust storage facilities and adequate cold chain infrastructure contributes to significant post-harvest losses, particularly for perishable products. Administrative procedures and formalities should evolve more rapidly towards dematerialization in order to foster competitiveness. Access to finance remains a challenge, limiting farmers' ability to invest in modern farming practices.

In response, collaboration between stakeholders, including government and the private sector, is essential to solving these multifaceted challenges, unlocking the full potential of Ivorian agriculture. Figures show that Ivorian agricultural products are mainly destined for export, underlining the vital role that efficient logistics can play.

In this context, MSC plays a crucial role as a strategic partner of the Ivorian agricultural sector. MSC Group companies (MSC, MEDLOG, TiL, AGL) currently account for some 5,000 jobs in the country. Our expertise in transport logistics enables us to efficiently link agricultural production regions to local and international markets.

Thanks to our fleet of modern vessels and our well-equipped port infrastructure, we facilitate the export of Ivorian agricultural products to world markets, bringing the country valuable foreign currency that contributes to the national economy. In October 2022, we opened a new direct stopover in Abidjan on our Africa Express service, offering the best transit times on the market between Asia and Côte d'Ivoire.

This new stopover will enable direct and rapid trade between China, South Korea, Japan, Southeast Asia and Côte d'Ivoire. What's more, our presence in the land transport sector, particularly rail and road transport, means we can efficiently connect production zones with shipping ports.

This reduces transport times and associated costs, preserving the quality of agricultural products in transit. As far as the supply chain is concerned, we are committed to strengthening storage and distribution capacities by working in partnership with local players. Our logistics solutions in this context include 40,000 m² of storage space, 10 dedicated lifting equipment, 200 trucks and 400 trailers, as well as 25 container loaders.

We are fully aligned with the government's economic vision of industrialization as a major transformation of Ivorian agriculture. During the 8th edition of the National Cocoa and Chocolate Days (JNCC), we reaffirmed our commitment to providing appropriate logistical solutions for the export of processed cocoa.

This commitment applies to the entire sector. What's more, we are firmly committed to a responsible approach in line with sustainable development objectives. Recent data shows that our investments in digitalization and more environmentally-friendly shipping technologies are reducing our carbon footprint, helping to preserve the environment on which our farmers depend.

As a founding member of the Digital Container Shipping Association (DCSA), MSC advocates industry standards that promote digital connectivity and true interoperability.

MSC is determined to be the partner of choice to overcome the logistical challenges that hinder the full potential of agriculture in Côte d'Ivoire, thus contributing to economic prosperity and inclusive, sustainable growth.

Agence Ecofin