Food Justice: Taking Action for Diversified, Safe, Affordable and Accessible Food in Africa.

The main food justice challenge at the moment is to alleviate the black cloud of suffering hovering over millions of families and individuals unable to afford sufficient healthy food due to poverty (Herman et al, 2018, Six Questions for Food Justice)

With the rising cost of food worldwide, especially in our continent, have you ever wondered how to navigate this difficult landscape? As you’re reading this, you probably have a meal planned out for later. But have you thought about the millions of families who cannot afford sufficient healthy food? If you have, thank you. It means you are concerned about food justice, and there’s something you can do about it.

Food justice means everyone should have access to healthy and sustainable food. It's a community-led response to inequities that prevent people from accessing fresh, culturally appropriate foods. This idea inspired The Cognito Project’s webinar on October 17th in collaboration with the International Centre for Environmental Health and Development (ICEHD) to commemorate #WorldFoodDay2024. What a time we had!

Several Key Points from the Conversations:

Opportunities for Food Diversity in Africa:

• School Meal Programs: Holistic school meal programs that adapt to local cultural contexts can enhance food diversity for schoolchildren. Food diversity involves a variety of healthy foods, including grains, vegetables, and fruits, and is intertwined with food security, which means having physical, social, and economic access to sufficient and nutritious food.
• Local Ingredients and Recipes: Creating and promoting new recipes using locally available ingredients can reduce food costs and increase access. Food demonstrations can educate communities about food preparation and preservation. Local Regional Procurement, practiced by some donor agencies, ensures raw materials are sourced locally, encouraging farmers to produce more and boosting the economy.
• Diversifying Crop Planting: Empowering farmers to diversify crop planting can enhance food variety and nutrition as they adapt to climate changes.

Food Safety and Government Accountability:

Policy Advocacy: Improving the implementation of agricultural policies and establishing robust government systems to ensure food security and safety is crucial, especially in monitoring food standards in our communities and schools. Key to achieving food safety would be to:

• Address Food Costs and Security: Rising food costs highlight the potential for national food subsidy programs. Encouraging the farming and consumption of local foods can help mitigate this issue.
• Inclusive Policies: Ensuring inclusive policies that address the specific needs of people with disabilities in food security discussions is essential.

Taking Action:

1. Shifting to a Systems-Oriented Approach: Moving away from siloed interventions to a more interconnected approach that integrates climate action, health, and economic policy to create a regenerative food system. The goal is to ensure that actions in one area contribute positively to the broader food system.
2. Scaling Up Effective Local Efforts: Emphasizing the need to expand innovative, community-led initiatives that address food security and nutrition. This includes addressing the inadequacies in current funding mechanisms and increasing public and private investment in agriculture and food systems.
3. Redefining Financing for Food Security and Nutrition: Adopting a holistic understanding of financing for food, which, according to the FAO's definition, includes ensuring stable access to safe, nutritious food, along with related needs like health, water, and adequate caregiving. This approach recognizes food as a multifaceted right linked to health, dignity, and livelihoods.

Missed the webinar? Catch the full replay for free at [https://youtu.be/sJ61u4ajgjI?si=b760K3gR_TQZ9ho3]