Food system transformation is critical for the African continent to overcome the challenges of food insecurity, malnutrition, poverty, and climate change. To achieve this transformation requires new forms of transdisciplinary research, led by African-based researchers, focused on developing solutions in partnership with a wide range of food system stakeholders focused on new opportunities enabled through new technologies and shared understandings.
This project will extend and diversify the links between the partner universities to: (a) strengthen the academic leadership of the key partners in African food systems transformation research and scholarship; and (b) enhance the impact of food systems research undertaken in the context of evaluating the role of technological innovations in Ghanaian food systems. The research will focus on mechanisation of the rice supply chain for Ghanaian smallholder farmers to reduce agricultural labour demands (especially the drudgery that impacts significantly more on female smallholder farmers), to promote sustainable technology use and to mitigate impacts of climate change of this vital food security crop.
The proposed objectives of this innovative project focus on (a) supporting collaborative partnership between the four main partners of University of Ghana; University of Pretoria, University of Leeds and University of York and integrating their wider networks of food system stakeholders; (b) strengthening the academic leadership of key partners in African food systems transformation research and scholarship; and (c) enhancing the impact of food systems research undertaken in this project together with lessons from the FSNet-Africa programme.
