Growing towards a food-secure Africa in 2050: reflections and pathways

In a context of fast population growth, urbanization, sluggish agricultural productivity growth and climate change, Africa is facing a major food security challenge in the coming decades. This chapter breaks down this complex challenge into what is required and what is desired for food systems transformation, considering both consumption- and production-related aspects. We argue that efforts to move food systems towards greater food and nutrition security should consider four interrelated domains: agriculture, ecosystems, trade and nutrition. By taking concrete examples from this volume’s 21 chapters, we discuss challenges, threats and opportunities for each of these domains, as well as synergies and trade-offs between them. We also stress that food systems transformation hinges on powerful macro-trends in the spheres of domestic governance, international arenas and climate change. We conclude by proposing four potential drivers of change: crisis breeding change, a diffusion of best practices (‘ripple effects’), regional coordination and global coordination. While we argue that each of these drivers will ultimately yield positive outcomes, the human and environmental costs involved depend a lot on levels of ambition and coordination that is achieved.