Securing access to safe, nutritious, and sufficient food for sub-Saharan Africa’s (SSA) growing population requires re-thinking and de-centering the concept of ‘food systems’ and ‘food security innovations’, beyond traditional questions of productivity and closing the yield gap, towards questions of sovereignty, inclusiveness and fairness. International and donor-supported food policies and interventions in SSA try to reach smallholder farmers with expert-led innovations (e.g., new seeds, technology, ICT services) to increase production and include them in value chain development to capitalize on market opportunities. However, there is little evidence that this has contributed significantly to food security or income in rural areas or cities in SSA, and there are increasing doubts among donors such as the Dutch government whether food security policies reach low-income farmers. Meanwhile, citizen-led innovations in Africa such as farmer-led development of irrigation, horticulture cultivation and marketing receive scant attention in food security research-policy debates, or worse, they are negatively presented in these debates and media reports.       

We observe that the current thinking on food security innovations seems to produce a ‘development trap’ for African farmers and consumers. We suspect that this ‘trap’ is produced by contradictory stereotypes and frames of communication that underlie ‘Western-centred’ neo-liberal food security policies. On the one hand, African farmers appear to be framed as potential entrepreneurs, creating the prospect of building a sustainable future of African food security on their shoulders, but on the other hand, food security policies appear to undermine this prospect by structurally framing their innovations as falling short of potential in comparison to ‘modern’ expert-led innovations. 

This project aims to critically unpack the stereotypes and frames of representation that underlie contemporary research-policy debates on food systems and food security innovations in SSA. It is these stereotypes and frames that define our perception of the problems and solutions, of those with decision-making power: policymakers, donors, investors and businesses. We will look at concepts and language used in policy documents, promotion material and media representations of food systems and food innovations. Taking inspiration from emerging research on farmer-led innovations in irrigation development in SSA, we hypothesize that persistent ‘colonial’ stereotypes of ‘African farmers’ and ‘African food systems’ hinder the design and development of (more) inclusive and fair food systems in SSA.

Together with stakeholders from government, private sector and NGOs, we aim to de-colonize the dominant stereotypes and communication frames and develop alternative communication strategies – a new and inclusive ‘language’ – to de-centre and broaden the discussion on food security in Africa. Our research questions are: 1) What stereotypes and frames can be identified in expert-led food security innovations in  Africa; and 2) What alternative communication strategies can be developed to legitimise food security interventions in a sustainable and de-colonial manner?  

• prof. dr. Kei Otsuki
• prof. dr. Eggo Müller
• dr. ir. Janwillem Liebrand
• Cristina Arribas Jimenez MSc

The challenge of feeding a projected 9 billion people by 2050 has triggered a strong influx of foreign investments in African agribusiness. However, it is unclear how these investments in global food supply affect food security at the local level in recipient countries. This complex global-local nexus serves as the starting point of the ‘Follow the Food’ project: how can foreign companies contribute to global food security, while at the same time foster inclusive and sustainable development, including increased food security, for local smallholders and poor populations?

The ‘Follow the Food’ project will assess the effects of foreign investments on local development and food security by comparing a variety of foreign agribusiness investment cases in different crops and business models across Ethiopia, Kenya and Ghana. Focus will be on three local investment effects: impact on the livelihoods of local farmers engaged in the investment project; changes in the use of natural resources (e.g. land and water); and effects on local food markets (i.e. availability and accessibility of food). The key objective of the ‘Follow the Food’ project is to enable stakeholders to make a positive contribution to local food security. For private sector stakeholders this implies enhancing the understanding of agribusiness investors on their local food security impacts as well as awareness raising of local smallholders on inclusive business and how to engage in trade in equitable and food-secure ways.

• prof. dr. Annelies Zoomers
• dr. James Wangu

• Fair and Sustainable Advisory Services
• Solidaridad the Netherlands
• Solidaridad East and Central Africa Expertise Center
• Solidaridad West Africa
• St. Mary's University Ethiopia

Road infrastructure - the largest and most widespread public investment in SSA - is assumed to be a main driver of productive employment for the economic opportunities created by better access and direct employment opportunities road infrastructure development provides. This assumption is generally unqualified and unquantified and this explains the often single-purpose and non-inclusive planning of roads. The research is undertaken in Tigray (Ethiopia), looking at different agro-ecological conditions in the region and is compared with the Tana Basin area in Kenya.

• Bureau of Construction Road and Transport Tigray Regional National State
• Institute of Development Studies University of Sussex
• Mekelle University
• MetaMeta Research
• The Horn Economic and Social Policy Institute

Mission
LANDac, the Netherlands Academy on Land Governance for Equitable and Sustainable Development, aims at bringing together researchers, policy makers and practitioners in the field of land governance and development.

Land Governance for Equitable and Sustainable Development
LANDac is a partnership between several Dutch organisations and their Southern partners involved in development-related research, policy and practice. The partners share a concern for increasing land inequality and new land-related conflicts, and how land governance – rules and practices on access to land – can be used to promote equitable and sustainable development in the Global South.

More information: http://www.landgovernance.org/

• prof. dr. Annelies Zoomers