Food & nutrition security for low-income groups in rural-urban food systems

The rapid pace of urbanisation all over the world, but particularly in developing countries, is leading to some substantial logistical and administrative challenges. A robust, sustainable food system is essential if everyone is to have access to sufficient, healthy food.

Our objective is to work with stakeholders to shed more light on what makes a sustainable, resilient rural-urban food system, with a particular focus on low-income groups concentrated in informal settlements (slums). This research will be carried out in fast-growing cities in Africa and Asia – Dhaka in Bangladesh, Nairobi (Nyeri-Kibera) in Kenya, Kampala/Arua in Uganda and Accra in Ghana.

Identifying effective interventions requires a broad understanding of all of the components of the food system, and of the socio-economic, natural and spatial context of the food system. More than anything, it calls for a contextual understanding of the complex interactions between food system actors. This research will build on the ‘rural-urban food system approach’ with co-creation methods used to develop systemic, social and technical innovations. The outcomes of the system and possible interventions will be evaluated in terms of food security, and using socio-economic, environmental and climate indicators.