The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) Summit, which closed recently in Rome, Italy, was full of surprises for Africa. One such surprise was the approval of the “AfriFOODlinks” project, aimed at strengthening food systems on a continent beset by drought and armed conflict. The initiative, designed entirely by African scientists, is funded by the European Union (EU).
The pilot phase will be implemented between 2023 and 2027 in the cities of Cape Town in South Africa, Tunis in Tunisia, Mbale in Uganda, Ouagadougou in Burkina Faso and Kisumu in Kenya. What these areas have in common is rapid urbanisation coupled with the effects of climate change. “The future of Africa is urban, and we need to think critically about how to feed our growing populations. We need to consider the whole food value chain and the links between urban and rural areas”, explains Peter Anyang’ Nyong’o, Governor of Kisumu County.
Corinna Hawkes agrees. According to the Director of the Food Systems and Food Safety Division at the FAO, “AfriFOODlinks” aims to combat food insecurity in line with the second Sustainable Development Goal (SDG2). It should enable better collaboration between the beneficiary municipalities and 60 other cities around the world, particularly in terms of technical support.
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The platform will also address the thorny issue of food waste, which is contrary to MDG12, which advocates responsible modes of production and consumption. Despite the wars in Ukraine, Sudan and Ethiopia, which are attacking people’s livelihoods, a UN report shows that 30% of cereals produced worldwide are thrown away, 50% of tubers, fruit and vegetables, 20% of oilseeds, meat and dairy products, and 35% of fish. This is another challenge for “AfriFOODlinks”, which also provides support for food distribution and preservation systems.
Benoit-Ivan Wansi