In 70 years, Africa’s urban population has grown dramatically, from 27 million to 587 million, according to data from Africapolis, a database monitoring urbanization trends on the continent. Africa thus stands out as the continent experiencing the highest urbanization.
This rapid dynamic poses many challenges, including the crucial challenge of food security in a context where food prices continue to rise. Food self-sufficiency in cities is becoming an urgent priority. However, agriculture in urban areas is often neglected by public authorities. With increasing land pressure, initiatives such as shared gardens and vegetable gardens are struggling to make their voice heard, although they play an essential role in providing a source of food for residents, creating employment, strengthening social connections and creating islands of coolness in cities exposed to the effects of climate change. How can we better recognize and promote the role of urban agriculture? What practices are proving effective on the African continent?
These questions will be at the heart of the program organized on the occasion of the Global Forum on Food and Agriculture (GFFA), which will take place in Berlin from January 17 to 20, 2024.
The experts invited to this show include Christine Aubry, project manager at INRAE on urban agriculture, consulting professor at Agro Paris Tech, director of the Urban Agriculture, Ecosystem Service and Urban Food Chair, and co-director of the work “Urban agriculture in French-speaking sub-Saharan Africa and Madagascar” (Presses universitaire du Midi, 2023).
Also present, Christine Margetic, professor of geography at the University of Nantes, specialist in agricultural and food issues in France and West Africa, co-director of the same work.
Finally, Razak Adjei, director of TarAgro, a company based in Togo, which supports households in their agricultural projects in urban areas and is promoter of the “One house, one vegetable garden” initiative.