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Food Systems Transformation and the Sustainable Development Goals in Africa
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Food Systems Transformation and the Sustainable Development Goals in Africa

A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (1 July 2021) | Viewed by 21092

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Frans Swanepoel

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Guest Editor
FSNet-Africa Principal Investigator and Director, University of Pretoria, South Africa
Dr. Stefano Marras

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Guest Editor
FAO Consultant, and Senior Postdoctoral Research Fellow-designate, FSNet-Africa, University of Pretoria, South Africa
Dr. Simeon Ehui

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Guest Editor
Regional Director, Sustainable Development for Africa, The World Bank
Prof. Dr. Lise Korsten

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Guest Editor
Co-Director, DSI-NRF Centre of Excellence in Food Security, University of Pretoria, South Africa
Prof. Dr. Manfred Max Bergman

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Guest Editor
Department of Social Sciences, University of Basel, Rheinsprung 24, 4051 Basel, Switzerland
Interests: social transitions; empirical research on society and economy; sustainable consumption; mobility; corporate responsibility; community development; mixed methods research
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the interconnectedness of global sustainability challenges, and how shocks and interventions in one system have far-reaching impacts on others. It has also reaffirmed the need for systems thinking and approaches to solve complex challenges. The pandemic has exposed the inadequacies prevalent in the global food system, highlighting the glaring inequalities in food system resilience across regions. These inefficiencies are particularly salient in African food systems, where the pandemic’s ripple effects have significantly affected two dimensions: food supply chains and food security.

Much research has focused on understanding global food systems. However, little attention has been paid to the particularities of and within the African context. One critical challenge has been a limited contextual and comprehensive conceptualisation of the African food system and how it is similar to and different from other global systems. This Special Issue addresses key aspects of African food systems, specifically in the COVID-19 context.

Amid the pandemic, there are important questions to ask about the robustness and sustainability of African food systems. Looking ahead, it is necessary to reflect on how food systems need to change if the interconnected Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) related to the food systems are to be achieved. Key sustainability challenges such as climate change, gender equality, and nutrition will be addressed in the Special Issue as critical elements in achieving interrelated SDGs.

The Special Issue includes a focus on partnerships and policy to achieve sustainable food systems transformation, with a focus on key policy considerations ahead of the United Nations 2021 Food Systems Summit.

The Special Issue will accept theoretical and empirical research papers. Studies employing qualitative methods, quantitative methods, and mixed-methods research will be considered.

Prof. Dr. Frans Swanepoel
Dr. Stefano Marras
Dr. Simeon Ehui
Prof. Dr. Lise Korsten
Prof. Dr. Manfred Max Bergman
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Sustainability is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • Africa
  • food systems
  • climate-smart agriculture
  • nutrition-sensitive agriculture
  • COVID-19
  • gender
  • food security
  • SDGs

Published Papers (6 papers)

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Research

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8 pages, 228 KiB  
Communication
Evaluating Climate-Smart Agriculture as Route to Building Climate Resilience in African Food Systems
by Andrew J. Dougill, Thirze D. G. Hermans, Samuel Eze, Philip Antwi-Agyei and Susannah M. Sallu
Sustainability 2021, 13(17), 9909; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su13179909 - 03 Sep 2021
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 3177
Abstract
Efforts to meet the growing demand for food across Africa have led to unsustainable land management practices that weaken the resilience of African Food Systems. Soil health is key to building more climate-resilient agricultural systems and can be improved through Climate-Smart Agriculture (CSA) [...] Read more.
Efforts to meet the growing demand for food across Africa have led to unsustainable land management practices that weaken the resilience of African Food Systems. Soil health is key to building more climate-resilient agricultural systems and can be improved through Climate-Smart Agriculture (CSA) practices that also enhance soil carbon storage. Many CSA practices are being implemented by African farmers, whereas others are being actively promoted but adoption remains low due to multiple factors including weak policy integration, limited institutional support, and inadequate agricultural extension advice. This Short Communications paper presents overview findings from trans-disciplinary research projects from Southern, East, and West Africa to evaluate the potential importance of integrated participatory soil health studies designed to inform context-specific recommendations and policies for resilient African food systems. The use of soil health indicators to measure the effectiveness of implemented CSA practices including Conservation Agriculture in maize-based systems and Soil and Water Conservation in Highland African systems are discussed. The paper identifies how more integrated research can help to enable shared learning and the enhanced knowledge exchange required for the upscaling of sustainable land management practices enabled through enhanced farmer participation in the chain of CSA activities from intervention design to community evaluation of impacts. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Food Systems Transformation and the Sustainable Development Goals in Africa)
15 pages, 1493 KiB  
Article
Evaluating Factors Affecting Performance of Land Reform Beneficiaries in South Africa
by Colleta Gandidzanwa, Aart Jan Verschoor and Thabo Sacolo
Sustainability 2021, 13(16), 9325; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su13169325 - 19 Aug 2021
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2085
Abstract
The ability of farmers to operate redistributed farms in a profitable and sustainable manner is crucial for both successful integration into agricultural value chains and sustainable production systems. The performance of redistributed farms is becoming increasingly important as the number of redistributed farms [...] Read more.
The ability of farmers to operate redistributed farms in a profitable and sustainable manner is crucial for both successful integration into agricultural value chains and sustainable production systems. The performance of redistributed farms is becoming increasingly important as the number of redistributed farms increases in light of correcting previous anomalies in land ownership in South Africa while ensuring continued food security. Although much has been done to assess the impact of land reform on macro variables, little has been done to unpack factors associated with the success of redistributed farms. Using a sample of 1956 redistributed farms across the nine provinces of South Africa, the current study employs an ordinary least square regression as well as a generalised logistic regression model to identify factors associated with the success (measured by net farm income and probability to operate at commercially viable scale) of the sampled farms. The results show that infrastructure, support (both technical and financial), and type of market used are significantly associated with the performance of redistributed farms. In addition, the results reveal disparities in performance across provinces and across gender categories. The study provides valuable insight to programme managers on the factors that needs to be enhanced in order to increase the odds of success for redistributed farms. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Food Systems Transformation and the Sustainable Development Goals in Africa)
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21 pages, 1229 KiB  
Article
Enhancing the Glopan Food Systems Framework by Integrating Gender: Relevance for Women in African Agriculture
by Elizabeth Mkandawire, Melody Mentz-Coetzee, Margaret Najjingo Mangheni and Eleonora Barusi
Sustainability 2021, 13(15), 8564; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su13158564 - 31 Jul 2021
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 3884
Abstract
Globally, gender inequalities constrain food security, with women often disproportionately affected. Women play a fundamental role in household food and nutrition security. The multiple roles women play in various areas of the food system are not always recognised. This oversight emerges from an [...] Read more.
Globally, gender inequalities constrain food security, with women often disproportionately affected. Women play a fundamental role in household food and nutrition security. The multiple roles women play in various areas of the food system are not always recognised. This oversight emerges from an overemphasis on one aspect of the food system, without considering how this area might affect or be affected by another aspect. This study aimed to draw on international commitments and treaties using content analysis to enhance the Global Panel on Agriculture and Food Security food systems framework by integrating a gender perspective. The study found that generally, there is a consensus on specific actions that can be taken to advance gender equality at specific stages of the food system. However, governance and social systems constraints that are not necessarily part of the food system, but have a significant bearing on men and women’s capacity to effectively participate in the food system, need to be addressed. While the proposed conceptual framework has some limitations, it offers a foundation on which researchers, policymakers and other stakeholders can begin conceptualising the interconnectedness of gender barriers in the food system. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Food Systems Transformation and the Sustainable Development Goals in Africa)
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Review

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19 pages, 1825 KiB  
Review
Guiding Nutritious Food Choices and Diets along Food Systems
by Beulah Pretorius, Jane Ambuko, Effie Papargyropoulou and Hettie C. Schönfeldt
Sustainability 2021, 13(17), 9501; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su13179501 - 24 Aug 2021
Cited by 11 | Viewed by 4402
Abstract
Poor diets are responsible for more of the global burden of disease than sex, drugs, alcohol, and tobacco combined. Without good health, food security, and nutrition, development is unsustainable. How food is grown, distributed, processed, marketed, and sold determines which foods are available, [...] Read more.
Poor diets are responsible for more of the global burden of disease than sex, drugs, alcohol, and tobacco combined. Without good health, food security, and nutrition, development is unsustainable. How food is grown, distributed, processed, marketed, and sold determines which foods are available, affordable, and acceptable within the local cultural context. These factors guide food choices, influencing the quality of people’s diets, and hence they play a vital part in health. The food system is complex and is neither nutrition nor health driven. Good nutrition and human health are not seen as important supply chain outcomes, diminishing between the different processes and actors in the chain. This is in contrast to the environmental and labour concerns now also perceived as supply chain issues. Although food loss and waste is now appreciated as key to sustainable food supply chains, the critical role on nutrition security remains obscure. In a free market dispensation, the trade-offs between agricultural production and income generation versus nutrient delivery from farm to fork needs to be addressed. Investment and incentivised initiatives are needed to foster diverse food production, preservation, distribution and influence consumers’ behaviour and consumption. The decisions made at any stage of the food supply chain have implications on consumer choices, dietary patterns, and nutritional outcomes. Leveraging the entire food system is an underused policy response to the growing problem of unhealthy diets. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Food Systems Transformation and the Sustainable Development Goals in Africa)
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15 pages, 301 KiB  
Review
Policy Considerations for African Food Systems: Towards the United Nations 2021 Food Systems Summit
by Lindiwe M. Sibanda and Sithembile N. Mwamakamba
Sustainability 2021, 13(16), 9018; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su13169018 - 12 Aug 2021
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 3142
Abstract
Achieving food and nutrition security and ending hunger is a complex and multi-faceted global challenge, which requires urgent attention, particularly in Africa. To eliminate hunger, the continent needs to transition to new sustainable, inclusive, and resilient food systems that deliver nutritious food and [...] Read more.
Achieving food and nutrition security and ending hunger is a complex and multi-faceted global challenge, which requires urgent attention, particularly in Africa. To eliminate hunger, the continent needs to transition to new sustainable, inclusive, and resilient food systems that deliver nutritious food and a healthy planet for all. This paper discusses challenges and opportunities highlighted during the “Food Systems Transformation to Address the SDGs” session convened by the African Research Universities Alliance (ARUA) and partners at the 8th World Sustainability Forum (WSF2020) held in September 2020. The paper reflects on how African food systems need to change to achieve the food systems related and interconnected the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It also presents issues for consideration at the 2021 United Nations Food Systems Summit. Key considerations include (i) the realization that nutrition insecurity is not food insecurity, (ii) the need for Africa to actualize its potential, (iii) the need to demystify policy development processes; (iv) the need to invest in better measurements and indicators; and (v) the need to create nature-based climate-smart solutions Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Food Systems Transformation and the Sustainable Development Goals in Africa)

Other

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13 pages, 282 KiB  
Commentary
Re-Imagining Resilient Food Systems in the Post-COVID-19 Era in Africa
by Julian May and Melody Mentz-Coetzee
Sustainability 2021, 13(19), 10752; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su131910752 - 28 Sep 2021
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2404
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic heightened awareness that serious illness and injury are common and important shocks that result in food insecurity, the loss of livelihoods, and unsustainable coping strategies. These have significant negative impacts on welfare, especially for the poorest, driving up health care [...] Read more.
The COVID-19 pandemic heightened awareness that serious illness and injury are common and important shocks that result in food insecurity, the loss of livelihoods, and unsustainable coping strategies. These have significant negative impacts on welfare, especially for the poorest, driving up health care expenditure, reducing capabilities for productive and reproductive activities, and decreasing capacity to manage climate and other changes. These negative impacts are especially pertinent for countries in Africa where the high prevalence of communicable diseases such as HIV/AIDS and malaria have resulted in repeated health shocks. Unusually, the prevalence of these illnesses results in their impact being similar to those of covariate shocks, increasing the risk of poverty for entire communities and reducing options for coping strategies. Livelihood disruptions arising from the COVID-19 pandemic may have similar consequences for African food systems. The pandemic is likely to exacerbate existing dynamics of risk and introduce new and unanticipated changes to food systems. Although the initial focus of governments has been on public health interventions, preserving and growing resilient food systems is critical if livelihoods are to be protected. This paper discusses the implications of these evolving forms of risk and uncertainty for sustainable African food systems, reflecting on lessons from other systemic shocks. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Food Systems Transformation and the Sustainable Development Goals in Africa)
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