Impact of Urbanisation on Food Systems

Contact:
FoodAfrica Secretariat
Natural Resources Institute
The University of Greenwich at Medway
Central Avenue
Chatham Maritime
Kent ME4 4TB
United Kingdom

Email: Keith Tomlins
Tel: +44 (0)1634 883360
Fax: +44 (0)1634 883567
Web: www.nri.org

Summary of main issues relating to the impact of urbanisation of food systems from FoodAfrica*
1. Need to assess food safety and environmental issues affecting food systems in urban areas.
2. Ensure that foods grown in urban locations are produced in environments that do not present a food safety hazard. Farmers should be trained in Good Agricultural Practice. Adopt high value crops in urban areas where land is in short supply.
3. Provision of safe and nutritious foods for urban consumers, especially the urban poor. An example is the emerging street food sector..
4. A need to promote farm gate processing, for example, develop mobile processing units which would promote rural employment, reduce losses, reduce rural-urban migration and increase stability of produce.

*At the international working meeting, the two themes “food safety” and “urbanisation” were combined.

Urbanisation can lead to environmental changes which can in their turn affect food systems which can rapidly evolve in an unregulated situation. Food quality and safety in particular may be affected. Food consumption habits and food demand may also change as a result of urbanisation. However, little is known or documented about this in many sub-Saharan nations. It is useful to determine consumer perceptions, barriers and responses to emerging new foods. This information can help with the development of food supply and catering businesses that can adapt in response to changing pattern of urbanisation. Needs assessment must be used to inform research and consumer reaction must be taken into consideration before products are promoted.

The overall summary of FoodAfrica can be downloaded here.