The pro-active approach to regional trade linkage in Eastern and Southern Africa.

Trade Africa (www.tradeafrica.biz) is a USAID-Regional Agricultural Trade Expansion Support (RATES) commodity trade linkage website launched in October 2003 with the aim of promoting maize and beans trade in Africa.

It is an innovative and intelligent Eastern and Southern Africa commodity trade linkage website that is designed and to compliment the RATES commodity market information website, Regional Agricultural Trade Intelligence Network (www.ratin.net).

Focusing on targeted commodities, www.tradeafrica.biz links buyers and sellers onto an electronic trading network platform. Designed for both large and small traders, the commodity trade linkage market place is an important tool within an integrated system that enables the trade network partners to communicate with each other.

Supporting Trade Africa is a RATES Trade Office equipped to communicate with all registered network members in the EAC and COMESA region that is managed by highly trained proactive personnel, skilled in using trade linkage techniques. The website is complimented by a call center that takes advantage of available communication technology to email, SMS, world space, cellular phone, facsimile, land-line trade opportunities to regionally based traders.

In addition to trade linkage, www.tradeafrica.biz also provides maize market prices, commodity trade news, policy up-dates and profiles on grain trade leaders.