Systems approaches to food and nutrition security and urban resilience: Lessons from Cape Town, South Africa and Kumasi, Ghana
Author(s): Kushitor, S.B,. Currie, P., Drimie, S., Badu, M., Faragher, T., Bhikoo, J. and Cramer, C.Link to CST author(s): Dr. Sandra Boatemaa, Paul Currie
Publication: LIRA
Year: 2020
Full reference: Kushitor, S.B.; Currie, P.; Drimie, S; Badu, M; Faragher, T; Bhikoo, J. and Cramer, C. 2020. Systems approaches to food and nutrition security and urban resilience: Lessons from Cape Town and Kumasi. LIRA
Download publication https://www.researchgate.net/publication/343879793_Systems_approcahes_to_food_and_nutrition_security_and_urban_resilience_Lessons_from_Cape_Town_South_Africa_and_Kumasi_Ghana
Summary
COVID-19 has revealed the deep fragility of the African food system and brought to the fore prevailing systemic injustices. Some indications suggest that as many as 34% of people in South Africa have gone to bed hungry during the lockdown.
In Ghana disrupted food supply chains during the lockdown resulted in scarcity and food price increase (Folley, 2020). There were millions of people living in poverty before Covid-19 and millions more now need food, urgently. Not only did the restrictions of the lockdowns disrupt functioning food systems in the short term, but wide-scale loss of income will likely lead to higher levels of food insecurity over time.
As part of the Inclusive Metabolism project, researchers and city officials from Cape Town, South Africa, and Kumasi, Ghana, shared their perspectives on how improving food systems can have wider socio- economic benefits for society, building resilience to shocks. Important approaches included adopting a food-water-energy nexus approach and embracing the value of informality to build resilience in city food systems.
This webinar also shared an update on the ongoing #hiddenflows photography project, currently focused on food in African cities.