INtegrated and Circular Technologies for Sustainable city region FOOD systems in Africa (INCiTiS-FOOD)
At a glance
- Project leader : Dr. Zala Schmautz
- Deputy of project leader : Luca Regazzoni
- Project team : Florentina Gartmann, Prof. Dr. Ranka Junge, Boris Pasini, Nathalie Pfister, Mathias Sigrist, Dr. Linda Tschirren, Fridolin Tschudi
- Project status : ongoing
- Funding partner : EU and other international programmes (Horizon Europe / Projekt Nr. 101083790)
- Project partner : Universität der Bundeswehr München, AGLOBE Development Center, Technische Universität München, Njala University, Fachhochschule Südwestfalen, Aquaponik Manufaktur GmbH, Université des Sciences et Techniques de Masuku, University of Ibadan, University of Bologna, Bamenda University of Science and Technology, SunLight Future Africa Limited, YOUTH 4 Development (Y4D), Kenyatta University, Foodscale Hub / Novi Sad Office HQ, Foodscale Hub / Thessaloniki Office, University for Development Studies, AgriFood Lithuania DIH, Bayerische Forschungsallianz (Bavarian Research Alliance), Wageningen Research, Egerton University , Women Engage for a Common Future, African Rural and Agricultural Credit Association, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev
- Contact person : Zala Schmautz
Description
INCiTiS-FOOD (Integrated and Circular Technologies for Sustainable city region FOOD systems in Africa) is a 4-year project that aims to improve food and nutrition security (FNS) in African city regions and reduce the food-system-related environmental footprint while contributing to circularity. Furthermore, the project will empower communities by opening up opportunities for them in agri-food supply and value chains, and by achieving environmental justice through transformative food policies. This will be achieved through interdisciplinary research, integrated best-fit technologies, stakeholder led action, capacity-building, research-practitioner-policy collaborative engagement, and Europe-Africa partnership.
The INCiTiS-FOOD project will co-create circular agri-food technologies, practices, and business models for an inclusive food system in African cities and towns. The agri-food technologies comprise soilless crop farming (hydroponics), recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS), and insect farming. These circular agri-food technologies have been deemed suitable for the context of African cities because they do not require great access to land, water, or wealth. The project is based on a multi-actor approach, involving 8 Living Labs (LLs) in 6 countries from 3 African regions (East: Kenya; West: Ghana, Nigeria, Sierra Leone; Central: Cameroon, Gabon).
The INCiTiS-FOOD project will follow a Lean Start-up Methodology to achieve minimum viable products (MVPs). These MVPs are expected to reach a sufficiently high technological, societal, and business readiness level in 2 years into the 4-year project. The MVPs are further validated in a demonstration phase (800-1000+ start-ups and scalable small and medium-sized enterprises, SMEs) on the basis of 2 Open Calls for the Cascade Fund (FSTP: Financial Support to Third Parties). Beneficiaries of the Cascade Fund will be surveyed to generate empirical evidence on the co-benefits of the INCiTiS-FOOD project technologies and business models, which will guide urban food policy roadmaps for African cities.