and achieving food security at different levels across the continent (FAO and ECA
2018; FAO and ECDPM 2018) (Chap. 1 Vol. 2). Ending hunger was a central part of
the Millennium Development Goals (MDG1: “eradicate extreme poverty and hunger”). However, despite some success stories, many SSA countries failed to meet the
goal by a wide margin (UNDP 2015).
Ending hunger and ensuring food security has become a strong element of the
follow-up sustainable development goals (SDGs), with SDG2 (Zero Hunger) aiming
to “end hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture” (Chap. 1 Vol. 1). However, the path to meeting SDG2 is particularly challenging as it is linked with many other SDGs including SDG1 (no poverty),
SDG4 (quality education), SDG5 (gender equality), SDG6 (clean water), SDG8
(decent work and economic growth), SDG13 (climate action), SDG14 (life below
water) and SDG15 (life on land), among others. In fact SDG2 has many
interlinkages with several other SDGs, suggesting the centrality, but at the same
time difficulty and importance in meeting the goal (ICSU 2017).
Indeed there seems to be no silver-bullet approach towards achieving food
security in SSA, as multiple socio-economic and environmental factors combine to
affect it (FAO and ECA 2018; FAO, IFAD, UNICEF, WFP and WHO 2019). Often
the actual mechanisms are very context-specific, suggesting that what might enhance
food security in one context might have a different effect elsewhere (Palm et al.
2010). This is largely because food security is a multi-dimensional concept that
combines several different elements and has different interpretations and definitions
across international and national contexts (Gibson 2012; Jones et al. 2013). The most
prevailing definition includes the four dimensions/pillars proposed by the UN Food
and Agriculture Organization (FAO), namely availability, stability, access and
utilization
1 (FAO 2006).
Enhancing food crop production has become a central element of reducing
hunger and improving food security in SSA, especially related to food availability
(FAO and ECA 2018). This is because a large fraction of the SSA’s population is
either involved in subsistence agriculture or occupied in the agricultural sector
(Gollin 2010; IFAD 2013; Ricciardi et al. 2018; FAO, IFAD, UNICEF, WFP and
WHO 2019) (Chap. 1 Vol. 1). However, despite the very low past performance there
has been evidence of a modest agricultural production growth in past two decades
(Wiggins et al. 2015; FAO, IFAD, UNICEF, WFP and WHO 2019). Indeed agricultural output (and its contribution to national economic growth) have been steadily
increasing, but with important discrepancies between sub-regions (Fig. 3.3).
1 Food availability relates to the general supply of food, and addresses issues of food production,
stocks and trade. Access to food (both economic and physical) reflects the sufficient supply of food
at the national and international levels. Aspects related to income, expenditure, markets and prices
are critical in enabling food access. Food utilization relates to nutrient utilization within the human
body, as the basis of the good nutritional status of individuals. Food stability reflects the stability of
the three aforementioned dimensions over time, which is a necessary pre-condition for sustaining a
stable food intake and overcoming periodic risks and food insecurity.
3 Linking Industrial Crop Production and Food Security in Sub-Saharan Africa:. . .
83
2018; FAO and ECDPM 2018) (Chap. 1 Vol. 2). Ending hunger was a central part of
the Millennium Development Goals (MDG1: “eradicate extreme poverty and hunger”). However, despite some success stories, many SSA countries failed to meet the
goal by a wide margin (UNDP 2015).
Ending hunger and ensuring food security has become a strong element of the
follow-up sustainable development goals (SDGs), with SDG2 (Zero Hunger) aiming
to “end hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture” (Chap. 1 Vol. 1). However, the path to meeting SDG2 is particularly challenging as it is linked with many other SDGs including SDG1 (no poverty),
SDG4 (quality education), SDG5 (gender equality), SDG6 (clean water), SDG8
(decent work and economic growth), SDG13 (climate action), SDG14 (life below
water) and SDG15 (life on land), among others. In fact SDG2 has many
interlinkages with several other SDGs, suggesting the centrality, but at the same
time difficulty and importance in meeting the goal (ICSU 2017).
Indeed there seems to be no silver-bullet approach towards achieving food
security in SSA, as multiple socio-economic and environmental factors combine to
affect it (FAO and ECA 2018; FAO, IFAD, UNICEF, WFP and WHO 2019). Often
the actual mechanisms are very context-specific, suggesting that what might enhance
food security in one context might have a different effect elsewhere (Palm et al.
2010). This is largely because food security is a multi-dimensional concept that
combines several different elements and has different interpretations and definitions
across international and national contexts (Gibson 2012; Jones et al. 2013). The most
prevailing definition includes the four dimensions/pillars proposed by the UN Food
and Agriculture Organization (FAO), namely availability, stability, access and
utilization
1 (FAO 2006).
Enhancing food crop production has become a central element of reducing
hunger and improving food security in SSA, especially related to food availability
(FAO and ECA 2018). This is because a large fraction of the SSA’s population is
either involved in subsistence agriculture or occupied in the agricultural sector
(Gollin 2010; IFAD 2013; Ricciardi et al. 2018; FAO, IFAD, UNICEF, WFP and
WHO 2019) (Chap. 1 Vol. 1). However, despite the very low past performance there
has been evidence of a modest agricultural production growth in past two decades
(Wiggins et al. 2015; FAO, IFAD, UNICEF, WFP and WHO 2019). Indeed agricultural output (and its contribution to national economic growth) have been steadily
increasing, but with important discrepancies between sub-regions (Fig. 3.3).
1 Food availability relates to the general supply of food, and addresses issues of food production,
stocks and trade. Access to food (both economic and physical) reflects the sufficient supply of food
at the national and international levels. Aspects related to income, expenditure, markets and prices
are critical in enabling food access. Food utilization relates to nutrient utilization within the human
body, as the basis of the good nutritional status of individuals. Food stability reflects the stability of
the three aforementioned dimensions over time, which is a necessary pre-condition for sustaining a
stable food intake and overcoming periodic risks and food insecurity.
3 Linking Industrial Crop Production and Food Security in Sub-Saharan Africa:. . .
83