Skip to main content
EnglishEN
European Commission logo print header

Improving nutrition in Africa by strengthening the diversity, sustainability, resilience and connectivity of food systems

Project description

DEENESFRITPL

Sustainable, resilient and healthy food systems in Africa

African agri-food systems are facing numerous challenges related to climate change and rapid population growth. The EU-funded HealthyFoodAfrica project will develop 10 food system labs (in Benin, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Uganda and Zambia) and five work packages (nutrition and consumption, sustainable production, postharvest, food safety, value chain governance, novel products and processes) to tackle these issues. Within this scope, smallholders, aquafarmers, SMEs, women, youth, street vendors, consumers, NGOs, scientists and policymakers will be involved to enhance the capacity of producers and food chain actors to deliver diverse, nutritious, high quality, affordable foodstuffs. Eventually, the project will help to build sustainable, resilient and healthy food systems in Africa.

Objective

Improving access to safe, nutritious food across Africa in a socioeconomically and environmentally sustainable and resilient manner is a major systemic challenge.

In order to overcome the diverse challenges facing African agri-food systems, exacerbated by climate change and rapid population growth, it is essential to simultaneously raise consumer awareness about healthy nutrition, whilst enhancing the capacity of producers and food chain actors to deliver diverse, nutritious, high quality, affordable foodstuffs.

The approach used in HealthyFoodAfrica is founded on five pillars:
a) ten localised, context-specific Food System Labs for experimentation and innovation in regions with diverse production systems and challenges (Ghana, Benin, Ethiopia, Uganda, Kenya & Zambia);
b) five thematic work packages for holistically addressing food system challenges (nutrition & consumption; sustainable production; postharvest; food safety; value chain governance; novel products & processes);
c) interdisciplinary, multi-actor, adaptive co-management, engaging farmers (incl. smallholders, aquafarmers, SMEs, women & youth), food processors/packagers, retailers (incl. street vendors), consumers, NGOs, scientists, decision-/policymakers;
d) the use of a Theory of Change framework for transformational impact;
e) dedicated dissemination, capacity building and exploitation activities for wider and lasting impacts.

HealthyFoodAfrica will innovate and test technologies, practices and governance arrangements, contributing to:
- More sustainable, resilient and healthy food systems for all;
- Significant reduction of malnutrition (particularly children within the first 1,000 days of life);
- Empowerment of producers;
- SME growth;
- Market opportunities (internal/export);
- Reduced wastage;
- Crisis situation food strategies;
- 11 UN SDGs;
- Partnership on FNSSA; and
- Piloting of innovations with technological or societal readiness levels or general maturity levels up to TRL/SRL/GML 7.

Fields of science

Keywords

Programme(s)

Topic(s)

Call for proposal

H2020-SFS-2018-2020

See other projects for this call

Sub call

H2020-SFS-2019-2

Funding Scheme

RIA - Research and Innovation action

Coordinator

LUONNONVARAKESKUS
Net EU contribution
€ 1 297 225,00
Address
LATOKARTANONKAARI 9
00790 Helsinki
Finland

See on map
Region
Manner-Suomi Helsinki-Uusimaa Helsinki-Uusimaa
Activity type
Research Organisations
Links
Total cost
€ 1 297 225,00

Participants (18)

Share this page

Download

Last update: 30 January 2024

My Booklet

Permalink: https://cordis.europa.eu/project/id/862740

European Union, 2024