Improving access to safe, nutritious food across Africa in a socioeconomically and environmentally sustainable and resilient manner is a major systemic challenge. In order to overcome the diverse challenges facing African agri-food systems, exacerbated by climate change and rapid population growth, it is essential to simultaneously raise consumer awareness about healthy nutrition, whilst enhancing the capacity of producers and food chain actors to deliver diverse, nutritious, high quality, affordable foodstuffs. The approach used in HealthyFoodAfrica is founded on five pillars: a) ten localised, context-specific Food System Labs for experimentation and innovation in regions with diverse production systems and challenges (Ghana, Benin, Ethiopia, Uganda, Kenya & Zambia); b) five thematic work packages for holistically addressing food system challenges (nutrition & consumption; sustainable production; postharvest; food safety; value chain governance; novel products & processes); c) interdisciplinary, multi-actor, adaptive co-management, engaging farmers (incl. smallholders, aquafarmers, SMEs, women & youth), food processors/packagers, retailers (incl. street vendors), consumers, NGOs, scientists, decision-/policymakers; d) the use of a Theory of Change framework for transformational impact; e) dedicated dissemination, capacity building and exploitation activities for wider and lasting impacts. HealthyFoodAfrica will innovate and test technologies, practices and governance arrangements, contributing to: - More sustainable, resilient and healthy food systems for all; - Significant reduction of malnutrition (particularly children within the first 1,000 days of life); - Empowerment of producers; - SME growth; - Market opportunities (internal/export); - Reduced wastage; - Crisis situation food strategies; - 11 UN SDGs; - Partnership on FNSSA; and - Piloting of innovations with technological or societal readiness levels or general maturity levels up to TRL/SRL/GML 7.

AFRIFOOD-Links AfriFOODlinks aims to improve food and nutrition security, while delivering positive outcomes for climate and the environment, and building social and ecological resilience in 65+ Cities (15 African and 5 European Implementation cities and 40+ Network Cities) cities by: 1) applying an urban food systems lens to promote shifts to healthy, sustainable diets, 2) transforming urban food environments through real-world socio-technical experiments; 3) promoting inclusive multi-actor governance to empower public officials, small businesses and communities with ownership and agency to shape their food systems; and 4) accelerating innovative, women- and youth-led agri-food businesses to support local value addition and inclusive economic participation. AfriFOODlinks invests in direct food system change in 5 African Hub Cities, and invites 10 African and 5 European Sharing Cities to join the Hub Cities on a mutual-learning journey, to share their innovative food systems and to co-design specific pilot projects for implementation in each Sharing City. Researchers, posted within each of the 20 local governments, will support the city to articulate its identified food system challenges and own authentic approach to improving access to healthy, nutritious food - with a particular attention to vulnerable groups - and reducing food related environmental impacts through food systems intervention. In this way, these implementation cities become flagships - beacons of inspiration for urban food systems transitions across the continent to inspire and share with over 40 Network cities, who are invited to adopt and adapt.