Cape Town hosts landmark meeting as cities across Africa and Europe commit to transforming urban food systems

Research from the United Nations High Level Panel of Experts on Food Security and Nutrition revealed earlier this year that 1,7 billion of the world’s 2,2 billion people facing moderate or severe food insecurity live in urban and peri‐urban areas, with over half a billion residing in African cities. These numbers underscore the urgent need for action at the city level, where the impacts of food insecurity are deeply felt.

‘What makes AfriFOODlinks unique is that it is addressing this challenge, not by focussing on where food comes from, but by explicitly improving the design and governance of the urban food environments that shape the food choices, and therefore the nutritional outcomes, of city residents,’ says Dr. Luke Metelerkamp, ICLEI Africa, Coordinator of AfriFOODlinks.

‘This gathering represents an unprecedented commitment from cities across Africa and Europe to tackle urban food challenges head-on, driving locally-led solutions that address the realities of food insecurity in urban communities,’ said Kobie Brand, ICLEI’s Deputy Secretary General and Regional Director of ICLEI Africa, the organisation responsible for coordinating the project.

‘Cities are hubs of innovation and solutions, they are drivers of change, they are where implementation happens at ground level.’

Cape Town Mayor, Geordin Hill-Lewis highlighted the pivotal role which the informal economy plays in Cape Town’s food system, noting that ‘through the AfrifoodLinks pilots and collaboration, the City of Cape Town is committed to improving trading conditions in food markets by providing the necessary infrastructure to empower the informal food sector to do business in a healthy, safe, and dignified manner and growing the local economy. This is critical to ensure that we build a food-resilient city that can withstand any adversities in regards to the provision of nutritious and affordable food to sustain livelihoods.’

Alderman Grant Twigg, the City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Urban Waste Management said, ‘The AfriFOODLinks project is a testament to the power of collaboration and the ingenuity of cities in addressing critical food system challenges. Cities are where the challenges of food security, nutrition, waste, and climate change converge, but they are also where innovative solutions can emerge. Within the context of rapid urbanisation, African cities must take the lead in rethinking how food systems work, starting from the local level.’

‘Our participation in AfriFOODLinks reflects our belief in local solutions, innovative partnerships, and knowledge-sharing across cities,’ said Alderman Twigg.

The meeting will also feature voices from other African city leaders who share Cape Town’s vision.

‘In Lusaka, we know that sustainable food systems are the backbone of healthy and resilient communities. Through AfriFOODlinks, we hope to better integrate food into our city governance structures,’ said Mayor Chilando Chitangala.