One Hundred Priority Questions for the Development of Sustainable Food Systems in Sub-Saharan Africa
Sub-Saharan Africa is facing an expected doubling of human population and tripling of food demand over the next quarter century, posing a range of severe environmental, political, and socio-economic challenges. In some cases, key Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are in direct conflict, raising d...
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MDPI AG
2023-10-01
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| author | Adam J. M. Devenish Petra Schmitter Nugun. P. Jellason Nafeesa Esmail Nur M. Abdi Selase K. Adanu Barbara Adolph Maha Al-Zu’bi Amali A. Amali Jennie Barron Abbie S. A. Chapman Alexandre M. Chausson Moses Chibesa Joanne Davies Emmanuel Dugan Glory I. Edwards Anthony Egeru Tagel Gebrehiwot Geoffrey H. Griffiths Amleset Haile Henry G. Hunga Lizzy Igbine Ousman M. Jarju Francis Keya Muhammad Khalifa Wamba A. Ledoux Lemlem T. Lejissa Pius Loupa Jonathan Lwanga Everisto D. Mapedza Robert Marchant Tess McLoud Patience Mukuyu Labram M. Musah Morton Mwanza Jacob Mwitwa Dora Neina Tim Newbold Samuel Njogo Elizabeth J. Z. Robinson Wales Singini Bridget B. Umar Frank Wesonga Simon Willcock Jingyi Yang Joseph A. Tobias |
| author_facet | Adam J. M. Devenish Petra Schmitter Nugun. P. Jellason Nafeesa Esmail Nur M. Abdi Selase K. Adanu Barbara Adolph Maha Al-Zu’bi Amali A. Amali Jennie Barron Abbie S. A. Chapman Alexandre M. Chausson Moses Chibesa Joanne Davies Emmanuel Dugan Glory I. Edwards Anthony Egeru Tagel Gebrehiwot Geoffrey H. Griffiths Amleset Haile Henry G. Hunga Lizzy Igbine Ousman M. Jarju Francis Keya Muhammad Khalifa Wamba A. Ledoux Lemlem T. Lejissa Pius Loupa Jonathan Lwanga Everisto D. Mapedza Robert Marchant Tess McLoud Patience Mukuyu Labram M. Musah Morton Mwanza Jacob Mwitwa Dora Neina Tim Newbold Samuel Njogo Elizabeth J. Z. Robinson Wales Singini Bridget B. Umar Frank Wesonga Simon Willcock Jingyi Yang Joseph A. Tobias |
| author_sort | Adam J. M. Devenish |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Sub-Saharan Africa is facing an expected doubling of human population and tripling of food demand over the next quarter century, posing a range of severe environmental, political, and socio-economic challenges. In some cases, key Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are in direct conflict, raising difficult policy and funding decisions, particularly in relation to trade-offs between food production, social inequality, and ecosystem health. In this study, we used a horizon-scanning approach to identify 100 practical or research-focused questions that, if answered, would have the greatest positive impact on addressing these trade-offs and ensuring future productivity and resilience of food-production systems across sub-Saharan Africa. Through direct canvassing of opinions, we obtained 1339 questions from 331 experts based in 55 countries. We then used online voting and participatory workshops to produce a final list of 100 questions divided into 12 thematic sections spanning topics from gender inequality to technological adoption and climate change. Using data on the background of respondents, we show that perspectives and priorities can vary, but they are largely consistent across different professional and geographical contexts. We hope these questions provide a template for establishing new research directions and prioritising funding decisions in sub-Saharan Africa. |
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| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T21:07:30Z |
| publishDate | 2023-10-01 |
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| series | Land |
| spelling | doaj.art-0a29b2ed87244c7d8eaf7324b0ef56672023-11-19T17:03:53ZengMDPI AGLand2073-445X2023-10-011210187910.3390/land12101879One Hundred Priority Questions for the Development of Sustainable Food Systems in Sub-Saharan AfricaAdam J. M. Devenish0Petra Schmitter1Nugun. P. Jellason2Nafeesa Esmail3Nur M. Abdi4Selase K. Adanu5Barbara Adolph6Maha Al-Zu’bi7Amali A. Amali8Jennie Barron9Abbie S. A. Chapman10Alexandre M. Chausson11Moses Chibesa12Joanne Davies13Emmanuel Dugan14Glory I. Edwards15Anthony Egeru16Tagel Gebrehiwot17Geoffrey H. Griffiths18Amleset Haile19Henry G. Hunga20Lizzy Igbine21Ousman M. Jarju22Francis Keya23Muhammad Khalifa24Wamba A. Ledoux25Lemlem T. Lejissa26Pius Loupa27Jonathan Lwanga28Everisto D. Mapedza29Robert Marchant30Tess McLoud31Patience Mukuyu32Labram M. Musah33Morton Mwanza34Jacob Mwitwa35Dora Neina36Tim Newbold37Samuel Njogo38Elizabeth J. Z. Robinson39Wales Singini40Bridget B. Umar41Frank Wesonga42Simon Willcock43Jingyi Yang44Joseph A. Tobias45Department of Life Sciences, Silwood Park, Imperial College London, Ascot, Berkshire SL5 7PY, UKInternational Water Management Institute, Battaramulla P.O. Box 2075, Colombo, Sri LankaSchool of Agriculture, Policy and Development, University of Reading, Reading RG6 7BE, UKIndependent Researcher, Kampala P.O. Box 14016, UgandaYouth Agro-Marine Development Association, Marka 25261, SomaliaDepartment of Environmental Science, Ho Technical University, Ho P.O. Box HP 217, GhanaInternational Institute for Environment and Development, Holborn, London WC1V 7DN, UKInternational Water Management Institute, MENA Office, Giza 12513, EgyptInstitute for Technology and Resources Management in the Tropics and Subtropics, Technische Hochschule Köln Cologne University of Applied Sciences, 50678 Cologne, GermanyDepartment for Soil and Environment, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, 750 07 Uppsala, SwedenCentre for Biodiversity and Environment Research, Department of Genetics, Evolution and Environment, University College London, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, UKNature-Based Solutions Initiative, Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3SZ, UKDepartment of Zoology and Aquatic Sciences, Copperbelt University, Kitwe P.O. Box 21692, ZambiaSchool of Agriculture, Policy and Development, University of Reading, Reading RG6 7BE, UKCSIR-Soil Research Institute, Kumasi AK-420 7890, GhanaEnvironmental Systems Analysis Group, Wageningen University and Research, P.O. Box 47, 6700 Wageningen, The NetherlandsRegional Universities Forum for Capacity Building in Agriculture, Makerere University Main Campus, 151/155 Garden Hill Road, Kampala P.O. Box 16811, UgandaEnvironment and Climate Research Center, Policy Studies Institute, Addis Ababa 2479, EthiopiaSchool of Agriculture, Policy and Development, University of Reading, Reading RG6 7BE, UKCentre for Development Innovation, Wageningen University and Research, P.O. Box 88, 6700 Wageningen, The NetherlandsDepartment of Land Resources Conservation, Ministry of Agriculture, Lilongwe P.O. Box 30291, MalawiNigerian Women Agro Allied Farmers Association, Abuja 900110, Federal Capital Territory, NigeriaNational Agricultural Research Institute, Brikama PMB 526, GambiaAfrican Alliance for Health, Research and Economic Development, Nairobi P.O. Box 11102, KenyaInstitute for Technology and Resources Management in the Tropics and Subtropics, Technische Hochschule Köln Cologne University of Applied Sciences, 50678 Cologne, GermanyDepartment of Biological Sciences, University of Bamenda, Bambili P.O. Box 39, CameroonEthiopian Forestry Development, Addis Ababa P.O. Box 24536, EthiopiaAfrican Wildlife Foundation, Kidepo P.O. Box 37346, UgandaNational Agricultural Research Organization, Entebbe P.O. Box 295, UgandaInternational Water Management Institute, Pretoria 0083, South AfricaYork Institute for Tropical Ecosystems, Department of Environment and Geography, University of York, York YO10 5NG, UKPopulation Reference Bureau, Washington, DC 20036, USAInternational Water Management Institute, Pretoria 0083, South AfricaVision for Alternative Development, Adenta P.O. Box AN12126, GhanaMinistry of Agriculture and Livestock, Lusaka P.O. Box 50595, ZambiaSchool of Applied Sciences, Kapasa Makasa University, Chinsali P.O. Box 480195, ZambiaDepartment of Soil Science, School of Agriculture, College of Basic and Applied Sciences, University of Ghana, Legon, Accra P.O. Box LG 245, GhanaCentre for Biodiversity and Environment Research, Department of Genetics, Evolution and Environment, University College London, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, UKCereal Growers Association, Nairobi P.O. Box 27542, KenyaGrantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment, London School of Economics and Political Science, London WC2A 2AE, UKFaculty of Environmental Sciences, Mzuzu University, Mzuzu P.O. Box 201, MalawiSchool of Natural Sciences, University of Zambia, Lusaka P.O. Box 32379, ZambiaAfrican Alliance for Health, Research and Economic Development, Nairobi P.O. Box 11102, KenyaNet Zero and Resilient Farming, Rothamsted Research, Harpenden, Hertfordshire AL5 2JQ, UKDepartment of Life Sciences, Silwood Park, Imperial College London, Ascot, Berkshire SL5 7PY, UKDepartment of Life Sciences, Silwood Park, Imperial College London, Ascot, Berkshire SL5 7PY, UKSub-Saharan Africa is facing an expected doubling of human population and tripling of food demand over the next quarter century, posing a range of severe environmental, political, and socio-economic challenges. In some cases, key Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are in direct conflict, raising difficult policy and funding decisions, particularly in relation to trade-offs between food production, social inequality, and ecosystem health. In this study, we used a horizon-scanning approach to identify 100 practical or research-focused questions that, if answered, would have the greatest positive impact on addressing these trade-offs and ensuring future productivity and resilience of food-production systems across sub-Saharan Africa. Through direct canvassing of opinions, we obtained 1339 questions from 331 experts based in 55 countries. We then used online voting and participatory workshops to produce a final list of 100 questions divided into 12 thematic sections spanning topics from gender inequality to technological adoption and climate change. Using data on the background of respondents, we show that perspectives and priorities can vary, but they are largely consistent across different professional and geographical contexts. We hope these questions provide a template for establishing new research directions and prioritising funding decisions in sub-Saharan Africa.https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/12/10/1879agricultural developmentagroecosystemsenvironmental impactshorizon scanfood securityfood systems |
| spellingShingle | Adam J. M. Devenish Petra Schmitter Nugun. P. Jellason Nafeesa Esmail Nur M. Abdi Selase K. Adanu Barbara Adolph Maha Al-Zu’bi Amali A. Amali Jennie Barron Abbie S. A. Chapman Alexandre M. Chausson Moses Chibesa Joanne Davies Emmanuel Dugan Glory I. Edwards Anthony Egeru Tagel Gebrehiwot Geoffrey H. Griffiths Amleset Haile Henry G. Hunga Lizzy Igbine Ousman M. Jarju Francis Keya Muhammad Khalifa Wamba A. Ledoux Lemlem T. Lejissa Pius Loupa Jonathan Lwanga Everisto D. Mapedza Robert Marchant Tess McLoud Patience Mukuyu Labram M. Musah Morton Mwanza Jacob Mwitwa Dora Neina Tim Newbold Samuel Njogo Elizabeth J. Z. Robinson Wales Singini Bridget B. Umar Frank Wesonga Simon Willcock Jingyi Yang Joseph A. Tobias One Hundred Priority Questions for the Development of Sustainable Food Systems in Sub-Saharan Africa Land agricultural development agroecosystems environmental impacts horizon scan food security food systems |
| title | One Hundred Priority Questions for the Development of Sustainable Food Systems in Sub-Saharan Africa |
| title_full | One Hundred Priority Questions for the Development of Sustainable Food Systems in Sub-Saharan Africa |
| title_fullStr | One Hundred Priority Questions for the Development of Sustainable Food Systems in Sub-Saharan Africa |
| title_full_unstemmed | One Hundred Priority Questions for the Development of Sustainable Food Systems in Sub-Saharan Africa |
| title_short | One Hundred Priority Questions for the Development of Sustainable Food Systems in Sub-Saharan Africa |
| title_sort | one hundred priority questions for the development of sustainable food systems in sub saharan africa |
| topic | agricultural development agroecosystems environmental impacts horizon scan food security food systems |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/12/10/1879 |
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