Joint Publications

African Food Systems Transformation Collective Brief Series 07: Agroecological Territories and Integrated Landscape Approaches to Advancing Food Systems Transitions in Africa

Published by Stephen Greenberg, Mallika Sardeshpande, Opeyemi Elujulo , Scott Drimie, Opeyemi Adeyemi, Tafadzwa Mabhaudhi, Malik Dasoo (Editor), and Florian Kroll (Editor). Series editor: Florian Kroll

Africa faces deep interconnected and systemic socioeconomic and environmental challenges. Formal economic activity tends to be extractivist, causing biodiversity loss, land degradation and water and soil pollution. Integrated responses are required if effective and restorative natural resource management (NRM) and sustainable agricultural production are to be implemented. The core framing for the briefing is ‘agroecological territories’ that comprise three domains: the adaptation of agricultural practices, the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity, and the development of embedded food systems. Key emerging approaches include agroecology, agroforestry, integrated landscape management, territorial markets and participatory multi-actor platforms and systems of governance. There is evidence of positive environmental and socio-economic impacts arising from these approaches. Key constraints to their realisation include limited financial and material resources, knowledge and skills, institutional and policy support, adverse environmental conditions, and social and cultural factors. The recommendations for priority funding include shortand long-term support for the emerging practices and integration in wider participatory and multidisciplinary NRM; diverse local markets for fresh produce and participatory guarantee systems; participatory action research for gaining a deeper understanding to inform practice and to monitor and measure impacts; capacity development of technical content and processes, especially targeting practitioners, women, youths, extension officers and local authorities; the promotion of farmer field schools and other peer-to-peer learning exchanges; processes of policy development; and comprehensive monitoring and evaluation (M&E) and communications to track, package, and share results and lessons.

related Publications

African Food Systems Transformation Collective Brief Series 10: Urban Food Environments

The purpose of this brief is to take stock of the variety of urban food environment initiatives underway across Africa and compile these into an actionable menu of investment opportunities. The brief outlines the rationale for increased investment focus into urban food environments to guide strategic operational discussions on how ...

African Food Systems Transformation Collective Brief Series 09: Pan-African and Regional Trade and Policy for the Food Systems Transition

The links between trade and food security and nutrition are inherently complex yet undeniably affect the six dimensions of food security: availability, access, utilisation, stability, sustainability and agency (High Level Panel of Experts on Food Security and Nutrition (HLPE) (2020). Reforming regional and pan-African trade and policy for the agroecological transition ...

African Food Systems Transformation Collective Brief Series 08: African Indigenous Foodways

African Indigenous Foodways (AIFs)1 offer a sustainable alternative to industrialised agriculture, promoting food sovereignty, biodiversity conservation and climate resilience. AIFs are rooted in traditional knowledge and practices, adapted to local environments with minimal external inputs. Knowledge co-creation and sharing are crucial for advancing AIFs. This involves collaboration between farmers, researchers ...