Leveraging Nature-based Solutions for Efficient, Resilient, and Sustainable Food Systems in Sub-Saharan Africa

Description

DOI: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.19565613

Emmanuel Ndhlovu (College of Business and Economics, University of Johannesburg, South Africa)

Sub-Saharan Africa’s (SSA) food systems face exclusive, complex, and compounding challenges ranging from climate change susceptibility, water scarcity, land degradation, hyperinflation, poverty, and rapid population growth. Key areas of urgent intervention include ensuring food security, reducing food waste, and promoting sustainable agricultural practices. Policy and practical intervention debates are ongoing. This article contributes to the debate by highlighting the potential of nature-based solutions in transforming SSA’s food systems. The article first identifies the challenges of SSA’s food systems and then explores how nature-based solutions can contribute to the realisation of efficient, resilient, and sustainable food systems in SSA. Underpinned by a review of primary and secondary sources, the article flags how nature-based solutions can generate climate change resilience, protect biodiversity, empower smallholder farmers, address land degradation, and generate cost-effective food system activities. The article argues, therefore, that leveraging nature-based solutions in SSA’s food systems offers a powerful and localised strategy to build efficient, resilient, and sustainable food systems. These solutions not only address environmental concerns but also deliver vital co-benefits for human well-being and economic development.