African CITYFOOD Month

#AfricanCITYFOODMonth is a platform created to support cross sector, multi-stakeholder engagements and knowledge sharing about urban food systems.

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At a glance

AfricanCITYFOODMonth

#AfricanCITYFOODMonth is a platform created to support cross sector, multi-stakeholder engagements and knowledge sharing about urban food systems. The platform recognises that food can be a powerful lever for solving many problems in cities as it is connected to how we plan and run our cities as well as our daily lives. Using food as an entry point in Africa, we can support daily nutrition and wellbeing for millions of urban dwellers, regenerate ecosystems, and connect urban residents. Moreover, sustainable food system initiatives have the potential to support mitigation and adaptation to the rapidly intensifying climate crisis, end the injustice of malnutrition, celebrate local food cultures and improve economic participation.

Every July, the annual #AfricanCITYFOODmonth campaign highlights diverse, innovative and evolving African urban food systems. The campaign provides a platform for insight, learning opportunities and support for local governments and food system stakeholders who are interested in shaping sustainable, nutritious and inclusive food systems. 

GET INVOLVED

We invite city leaders, food system stakeholders and inhabitants of urban areas from across the continent to share your insights and experiences with us.


If you’d like to contribute any relevant resources, or have any recommendations that align with the theme, the communications team would love to hear from you! Let us know how you’d like to get involved. Share case studies, project reports and news articles which can add to the themes above.

Do you have ideas of how to improve the food systems you see around you?

Share them with us using #AfricanCITYFOODmonth on LinkedIn, Instagram, Bluesky and X.

#AfricanCITYFOODMonth 2025

"NO CHILD LEFT BEHIND: Nourishing Africa’s Urban Future"

As Africa’s cities grow, so do the challenges and opportunities of feeding their youngest inhabitants. This July, the #AfricanCITYFOODmonth campaign hopes to shine a spotlight on the urgent need to ensure no child is left behind in the journey towards resilient, inclusive, and sustainable urban food systems.

Children are at the heart of Africa’s urban future. Yet across the continent, millions face food insecurity, poor nutrition, and limited access to safe, affordable, and nutritious food. Cities are uniquely positioned to change this trajectory. By investing in school meals, community-led initiatives, local food economies, urban agriculture, and inclusive policy-making, cities can become engines of nourishment and equity.

Under the banner “No Child Left Behind: Nourishing Africa’s Urban Future” this year’s campaign calls on local governments, communities, youth, and innovators to reimagine African cities as places where every child, regardless of background, can grow, thrive, and be nourished. Join us as we amplify stories of transformation, spotlight groundbreaking initiatives, and foster dialogue on how African cities can lead the way in building just, inclusive child-centered food systems for generations to come.

Be part of the campaign by participating in the webinars, and sharing case studies, resources and images on sustainable, child-centred urban food systems with the hashtag #AfricanCITYFOODMonth on X, Instagram and LinkedIn.

#AfricanCITYFOODMonth is convened in alignment with AfriFOODlinks, a four-year EU-funded project which proposes a new approach for equitably feeding and nourishing cities through safe, nutritious, and affordable meals. ICLEI is a proud member of global School Meals Coalition and this year’s theme also aligns with ICLEI’s efforts to champion the role of cities in enhancing procurement of school meals in Africa and beyond. 

#AfricanCITYFOODmonth is brought to you by ICLEI Africa in partnership with:  African Centre for Cities, Milan Urban Food Policy Pact, Rikolto and the South African Urban Food and Farming Trust. It is supported by the AfriFOODlinks project, coordinated by ICLEI Africa, delivered by 26 partners across 65+ cities, and funded by the European Union.

Follow and join the campaign on LinkedIn, X and Instagram using #AfricanCITYFOODmonth

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There is no better investment we can make than the feeding and education of today's children. They will lead us in the future, healthier, more capable, thankful, and more likely to nourish and educate their own children.
Arlene Mitchell
Executive Director, Global Child Nutrition Foundation
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We have seen that ‘food’ demonstrates the most powerful interlinkages between our cities, our environment, our health and wellbeing, our nature and our climate, and offers vast potential for improving equity and sustainability on our planet.
Kobie Brand
Regional Director, ICLEI Africa and Deputy Secretary General, ICLEI

Catch up on previous years of the #AfricanCITYFOOD Month Campaign

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