SUCCESS STORIES

SATH's support of the Farmer's Union on Malawi's efforts to introduce genetically modified (GM) cotton into Malawi paid off, as the government agreed to allow commencement of trials of Bt cotton. This is a first but major step that should lead to Malawi accepting GM cotton as a commercial crop throughout the country. The wide-spread use of more drought and pest-resistant GM cotton seed varieties will lead to more jobs, particularly for women, more revenue from this popular cash crop, and is expected to have a knock-on effect in other countries in the region such as Zambia and Tanzania. Bt cotton seed does not affect politically sensitive staple food crops, and has a large impact on yields of cotton grown under small-scale dryland farming conditions.

Southern African economies are now exporting more diverse products to more places.

SATH’s assistance to Keedo clothing, a high-end children’s clothing company exporting to the US ensured that more than 200 families in the Cape townships kept their incomes. Keedo’s manufacturing suppliers are women-owned, small operations.

The USAID Southern Africa Trade Hub has significantly reduced the costs associated with cross-border trade in Southern Africa.

Though the introduction of the Single Administrative Document (SAD 500) was a major step in trade facilitation in Southern Africa, lack of direct exchange of electronic information between border posts continued to negatively affect transit times.

The basic tenet of the User Pay Principle is that those who benefit from the corridor should pay for the support of the institution.

USAID’s Southern Africa Trade Hub facilitated the successful establishment of the Dar Corridor Committee (DCC) Secretariat.

USAID’s Southern Africa Trade Hub helps lower transport costs and improve trade facilitation.

Southern Africa Trade Hub helps Customs Administrators streamline and simplify clearance procedures through WCO Time Release Study.

The single customs declaration form facilitated by the Southern Africa Trade Hub is reducing administrative burdens and transit times in an increasing number of countries in the region.