Transforming Urban Food Systems in Secondary Cities in Africa

Africa is experiencing a rapid transition from rural to urban societies, with the UN projecting that 60% of people will live in urban areas by 2050. This presents a critical development challenge, particularly in creating inclusive and sustainable cities. Secondary cities in Africa are growing rapidly, but there is a lack of research into the implications for food security. This book aims to address this gap by combining research and case studies from various disciplines and highlighting key concepts such as governance, sustainability, health, economic development, and inclusivity.

Format: Hardback
Length: 402 pages
Publication date: 03 November 2022
Publisher: Springer Nature Switzerland AG

Africa is experiencing a rapid shift towards urbanization, with the United Nations projecting that 60% of the continent's population will reside in urban areas by 2050. This unprecedented growth will result in a tripling of the urban population over the next 50 years. Building inclusive and sustainable cities in this context is considered the most critical development challenge of the 21st century. Creating food-secure cities is essential for promoting health, prosperity, equity, and ecological sustainability.

The expansion of Africa's urban population is primarily occurring in secondary cities, which are defined as cities with fewer than half a million people that are not national political or economic centers. This secondary urbanization presents a unique set of challenges, including a lack of infrastructure, limited access to basic services, and environmental degradation.

Recognizing the need for further research into the implications of secondary urbanization for food security, international researchers from various fields, including food studies, urban studies, and sustainability studies, are increasingly calling for more attention to this issue. This book aims to combine this research and present comparable case studies, intersecting trends, and shed light on broad concepts such as governance, sustainability, health, economic development, and inclusivity.

This open-access book is designed to provide a comprehensive resource for policymakers, practitioners, and researchers interested in understanding the dynamics of urbanization in Africa and its impact on food security. It will be valuable to students, scholars, and professionals in the fields of urban planning, agriculture, nutrition, and development studies.

Weight: 678g
Dimension: 210 x 148 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9783030930714
Edition number: 1st ed. 2023