high levels of poverty, rapid population growth, low economic growth, inadequate infrastructure and conflicts
People have a right to food - to produce food, to be free from hunger, and to participate in policy decisions that affect food systems. The right to food is also. Malnutrition is a feature of the region. As part of a group of food microbiologists, food scientists and food researchers, I tried to find out what scientific, policy and socio-economic interventions could move sub-Saharan Africa away from food insecurity towards food sufficiency.
In Africa, this can only begin when governments embrace the idea that everyone has the right to food. From there, governments should develop policies and programmes to make sure that everyone can access nutritionally balanced food. Governments would have to make sure that people could eat diverse and nutrient-rich diets. Creating access to safe drinking water and sanitation facilities is part of this.
Governments will have to work with communities and civil society organisations to set up food systems that are resilient to climate change. Our research has found that governance structures must create the space for individuals and communities to be part of decisions about food and agriculture, and to help draw up food policies.