Sustainable improvement of food and nutrition security and the livelihoods of African farmers are at issue when 23 African and European research partners collaborate on a long term research and innovation partnership. The focus is on sustainable intensification of the agro-food system in Africa.
What kind of consequences to the environment, economy and society does sustainable intensification of food production have?
Although the current food production systems have enabled a substantial increase in food production, the farming practices have also impacted the environment. In addition, many people still do not have enough to eat and cannot escape poverty.
These kinds of effects to the whole African Agro-food system will be included in the explorations as 23 research and innovation institutes from 21 countries collaborate in this new initiative, PROIntensAfrica.
"It is projected that the expected growth in the world population from 7 to 9 billion and the changing diets will require 70% more food by 2050. There is no single solution to production increase, so a diversity of pathways for sustainable intensification needs to be explored and exploited", explains Huub Löffler from Wageningen University and Research centre (WUR), the coordinator of the initiative.