Fostering Sustainable Food and Nutrition Security in Africa through Innovative Smallholder Organic Farms and Food Hubs (AfricFood).

The objectives of the initiative are: 1.To conduct participatory socio-economic research on OA and to generate innovative approaches for engaging smallholder organic farms and deploying food hubs in the three targeted SSA countries to combat poverty and food and nutrition insecurity; 2. To stimulate and create organic farming leadership and entrepreneureship among women development associations, youth groups and students of agricultural colleges and training institutes to scale up organic farming as a business; 3. To identify and analyze innovative financing mechanisms to facilitate the scaling-up of organic agricultural production and the formation of district and regional food hubs in the targeted countries; 4. To investigate the potential of organic food hubs in the targeted SSA countries to feed the local, national and international markets; 5. To ensure effective and efficient coordination and management of the Action and ensure its local ownership and sustainability. The objectives will lead to a shift towards SCP modes as follows: Improved understanding of the importance, prospects and challenges of OA in EU and SSA and the best ways of developing the sector; Strengthened capacity of junior and senior researchers, farmers & agric teachers on OA; 5e scientific papers on OA, food and nutrition security and food hubs in SSA published and disseminated via multiple channels; Publication of a text book on “Organic Agriculture: A Solution to Food and Nutrition Security in Sub-Saharan Africa?”; 4,000 smallholder farmers, especially women, young people engaged in agriculture and youth groups; Effectively use climate-smart OA technologies to increase organic agricultural yields; Organic agricultural clubs formed in 20 agricultural colleges and training institutes ; 12 organic agricultural food hubs established in the targeted 3 SSA countries to popularize the consumption of organic produce and improve access to the domestic and international markets; At least 12 local and regional organic food hubs created in the targeted SSA countries to enable smallholder farmers to get access to local and international markets for their products and purchasing agricultural inputs; and Enhanced food and nutrition security, improved access to domestic and international markets for smallholder organic farmers’ products, descent incomes, reduced poverty levels and better quality of life for women, young people and their families in the targeted SSA countries The initiative was submitted to the AU in March 2018 but narrowly missed a grant. It is currently being revised for submission to other potential donors. Kindly assist us to secure financial assistance to implement the initiative from 2019 to 2023. Excellent collaboration between the African and EU Consortium partners. We are currently investigating collaboration with relevant networks and centres of excellence on agroecological organic agriculture to enhance the implementation of the initiative. Involvement of interested stakeholders is very much encouraged in the following areas: 1. Peer review of the initiative document and provide inputs for value addition; 2. Engage in extending the implementation of the initiative's activities in more African countries; 3. Helping to secure financial assistance for implementing the initiative; 4. Disseminating information and awareness raising on the initiative.