INCiTiS-FOOD – INtegrated and Circular Technologies for Sustainable city region FOOD systems in Africa
An important question of the INCiTiS-FOOD project was the possibility of improving food and nutrition security and reducing ecological footprint in African urban areas.
Four aspects should be considered when improving the food systems of African cities:
- availability of nutritious and safe food through local production
- food access, incl. affordability
- food utilization, incl. reduction of food waste
- food stability at all times.
As well as empowering communities through agri-food businesses along the supply and value chains, the project will also achieve environmental justice through transformative food policies. This is done through interdisciplinary research, integrated best-fit technologies, stakeholder led action, capacity-building, research-practitioner-policy collaborative engagement, and Europe-Africa partnership. To achieve these objectives, INCiTiS-FOOD will co-create circular agri-food technologies, practices, and business models for an inclusive food system in African cities and towns.
Using a multi-actor approach, the project involves 8 Living Labs from 6 countries in 3 African regions (East: Kenya; West: Ghana, Nigeria, Sierra Leone; Central: Cameroon, Gabon). The INCitiS-FOOD project will follow a Lean Startup methodology.
In order to make the entire project a success, AgriFOOD Lithuania will provide assistance. The company will focus more on developing business models and building financial capacity for circular agri-food entrepreneurship. This will provide capacity building to agri-food entrepreneurs in choosing the best-fit business model for generating profits. The tool used is based on the BMC. BMC will identify the key elements of each business (added value, targeted markets, anticipated expenses, revenue streams, etc.). Special attention will be given to marginalized and vulnerable groups seeking to become entrepreneurs.
Project partners:
1 (Coordinator) Universität der Bundeswehr München UniBw M DE
2 Aglobe Development Center ADC NG
3 Technical University of Munich TUM DE
4 Njala University NUSL SL
5 Fachhochschule Südwestfalen FH-SWF DE
6 Aquaponik manufaktur GmbH APM DE
7 Université des Sciences et Techniques de Masuku USTM GA
8 University of Ibadan UI NG
9 University of Bologna UNIBO IT
10 Bamenda University of Science and Technology BUST CR
11 SunLight Power Africa SP KE
12 Youth 4 Development Y4D KE
13 Kenyatta University KU KE
14 Foodscale Hub FSH GR
15 University of Development Studies UDS GH
16 Agrifood Lithuania DIH LT
17 Bavarian Research Alliance BayFOR DE
18 Stichting Wageningen Research WR NL
19 Egerton University EGE KE
20 Women Engage for a Common Future WECF NL
21 Zurich University of Applied Sciences ZHAW CH (associate)
22 InsectiPro Ltd. InsectiPro KE
23 African Rural and Agricultural Credit Association AFRACA KE
24 Ben-Gurion University of the Negev BGU IL