Sustainable Food Systems

Africa-led, locally grounded science powers new Lancet Countdown Africa Centre at Future Africa-UP

The launch of the Lancet Countdown Africa Centre at Future Africa at the University of Pretoria marks a shift towards Africa-led, locally grounded climate and health science.
Female Farmer in Africa

UNU Hub REACH-AFRICA contributes to digital agriculture and AI policy brief for climate resilience in Zimbabwe

The United Nations University Hub on Resilient Environment, Agriculture, Climate and Health for Africa (REACH-AFRICA), hosted at Future Africa, University of Pretoria, contributed to a new policy brief on digital agriculture and artificial intelligence for climate-resilient smallholder farming in Zimbabwe.

Call for Applications: PhD scholarship grants 2026 (UKUDLA)

The African German Centre for Sustainable and Resilient Food Systems and Applied Agricultural and Food Data Science, which is funded by the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) with funds from the Federal Foreign Office (AA), the Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space (BMFTR) and the Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Regional Identity (BMLEH) in Germany offers scholarships to German and African applicants to support a PhD-thesis research projects in Southern Africa in cooperation with one of our partner institutions.

Prof Frans Swanepoel concludes tenure as Future Africa Research Chair for Sustainable Food Systems

Future Africa bids farewell to Professor Frans Swanepoel, who concludes his tenure as Research Chair for Sustainable Food Systems at the end of December 2025.

The Tomato Paradox: When abundance meets shortage in Africa’s food systems

Marking World Food Day 2025, Dr Ololade Abdulrahman, a Research Fellow in the Future Africa Research Leadership Fellowship programme, examines Nigeria’s “Tomato Paradox” and calls for innovation to strengthen Africa’s agrifood systems.

UKUDLA launches first summer school on sustainable food systems and data science

The African–German Centre of Excellence for Sustainable and Resilient Food Systems and Applied Agricultural and Food Data Science (UKUDLA) hosted its first summer school from 14–24 September 2025 at the University of Western Cape (UWC) in South Africa. The programme brought together master’s, doctoral, and postdoctoral fellows from Southern Africa and Germany for an intensive two weeks of training, exchange, and collaboration.

Feed–Protect–Care Global PhD Collaborative platform hosts third training in SA

The third training of the Feed–Protect–Care Global PhD Collaborative Platform took place in Cape Town, South Africa, co-hosted by the University of Pretoria and the University of Montpellier. More than 50 doctoral scholars from across the world engaged in dialogue, peer learning, and experiential activities to advance sustainable food systems research and leadership.

Embedding entrepreneurship and innovation in education essential, says Future Africa research chair

On 23 August 2025, the University of Pretoria (UP), the African Development Bank (AfDB), and the University of Tokyo co-hosted the symposium “From Campus to Community: University Collaboration between Africa and Japan for Real-World Change” as an official side event of the Ninth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD 9).

New generation of scientists needed for Africa’s food systems, says Future Africa experts

Africa’s food systems face urgent challenges. In a commentary published in the South African Journal of Science, Prof Frans Swanepoel and Dr Melody Mentz-Coetzee, affiliated with Future Africa, reflect on FSNet-Africa as a model for training new scientists to drive sustainable change.

Africa Week 2025 panel discussion: ‘Africa’s food insecurity is a global security issue’

Africa’s food insecurity is not just a development challenge — it’s a global security issue. That was the message from panellists at Africa Week 2025, who highlighted the links between hunger, conflict, climate change and governance failures, and called for integrated, long-term responses.

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