Promoting equity and justice: harnessing the right to food for Africa's food security

Summary

This narrative review examines food security across African nations through a rights-based governance lens, identifying poverty, climate change, and urbanisation as key structural barriers to food availability, accessibility, and utilisation. The authors argue that secure land tenure, gender equality, sustainable agricultural practices, and integrated food system transformation are essential to realise food and nutrition security whilst enhancing environmental quality. The paper advocates for strengthened governance mechanisms, accountability frameworks, and international cooperation to advance sustainable development goals and promote equity and justice throughout African food systems.

UK applicability

Whilst this paper focuses on African policy contexts and structural challenges distinct from the UK, its frameworks around rights-based food governance, land tenure security, and gender equality in food systems may inform UK policy discussions on food security equity and sustainable food system transition. The emphasis on integrated governance and accountability mechanisms could have relevance to UK food policy development.

Key measures

Qualitative assessment of food security barriers and enablers; examination of policy and governance frameworks; analysis of land tenure, gender equality, and sustainable agricultural practice implementation across African contexts

Outcomes reported

This narrative review identifies structural barriers to food security in African nations (poverty, climate change, urbanisation) and examines critical enablers including land tenure rights, gender equality, sustainable agriculture, and integrated food system transformation. The paper documents governance, accountability, and international cooperation mechanisms needed to achieve food and nutrition security whilst promoting environmental quality and human well-being.

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