Pathways to transform urban food system

This report explores the urgent need to transform urban food systems in rapidly urbanising African cities, particularly in response to deep structural inequalities, poverty, climate crises, and global disruptions like COVID-19 and the Ukraine war. It focuses on urban areas in Cape Town, Nairobi, and Ouagadougou, and highlights the vital yet often overlooked role of the informal sector in ensuring food security and employment. The report introduces five innovative “pathways” aimed at building resilient, inclusive urban food systems by supporting local coping mechanisms, enhancing mutual accountability, promoting climate-adaptive agriculture, and improving food environments through data-driven insights. It emphasises the importance of inclusive policy spaces that empower local actors, particularly women and marginalised groups, and aligns with global development agendas and feminist development strategies. The scoping phase, which involved broad stakeholder engagement, sets the foundation for a three-year action research agenda to influence both local practises and global policy dialogues.

Abstract based on original source.