How to avoid food security crises in Africa’s megacities
Africa’s urban population has grown from 100 million to 560 million in 40 years, driving rapid demand for food imports. It is this high reliance on imports that increases vulnerability to global supply shocks.
So when extreme weather, political instability or fuel price spikes hit at once, Africa’s megacities could face disrupted food supplies, rising hunger and social unrest.
Here’s what Africa’s megacities can do to strengthen food security:
- Stress-test global food supply systems: Coordinating governments, grain traders and multilateral organizations to model shocks and identify vulnerabilities, ensuring critical supplies reach urban populations.
- Developing emergency intervention stocks: Creating carefully designed reserve stocks to stabilize supply and prevent severe urban shortages during crises.
- Bolstering domestic food production: Strengthening local agricultural capacity to feed growing cities, improving urban food security while supporting rural livelihoods and economic development.
Explore these solutions in more depth in the full article from H. Charles J. Godfray (Oxford Martin School) and Douglas Gollin (Tufts University).
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