Investing in Urban African Food Systems

Project summary

The COVID-19 pandemic and the related lockdown restrictions have emphasized the importance of a food systems perspective especially in addressing the issue of urban food insecurity. In the context of growing global attention on food systems perspectives, the pandemic and associated government responses, demonstrated to local governments and many urban food system actors, how entangled food is with other urban systems, and how many urban development objectives can be supported through a lens of food systems. Local governments are also attempting to understand their role in supporting sustainable food systems and have articulated the need for inter- and intra-city learning, as well as the identification of investment opportunities for system-wide food security outcomes. ICLEI has been engaging local governments around food and has been on a learning journey around urban food systems governance approaches. To continue supporting local governments on this learning journey, ICLEI Africa implemented Investing in Urban African Food Systems, supported by FAO.