Food waste occurs at different stages of the food value chain, impacting actors from farmers to processors, traders to consumers. Food waste can create a menace to the environment leading to the production of methane, a greenhouse gas. Waste can result from biotic or abiotic pressures on crops, contamination from microbes, and suboptimal handling and/or storage practices. This waste negatively impacts food security and access to safe, healthy diets. Quantity and quality losses occur on a large scale, and some, such as mycotoxin contamination, are imperceptible, negatively impacting international trade and resulting in food repatriations, which lead to substantial income loss. At the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), the Black Soldier Fly (BSF) is providing green solutions for waste management by valorizing food waste to produce high-quality protein (larvae) for livestock production, including quails (an underutilized species) and fish, and frass as biofertilizer for leafy vegetables (including indigenous African species). Rearing BSF to consume food waste and produce larvae and frass is contributing to a green economy. Compared to other feed regimes, BSF larvae perform optimally as a protein source and provide a low-cost, high-value protein source for quail and quail egg production. Additionally, waste contaminated by mycotoxins is valorized to produce safe BSF larvae for feed. These solutions reduce the carbon footprint sustainably by eliminating the need for waste combustion, offering an alternative to chemical fertilizers, and providing better income opportunities for insect, poultry, fish, and crop farmers. BSF valorization of mycotoxin-contaminated waste removes unsafe food from the food value chain, protecting consumers and contributing to better health outcomes. These efforts, in turn, help make food more accessible, affordable, and safe. Therefore, the use of BSF contributes to addressing food security (including food safety) challenges through a One Health approach.

Urban populations are growing rapidly, leading to high demand for food. There is also evidence that food insecurity, overweight and obesity, infectious and diet-related diseases are becoming more prevalent in urban areas. These issues have led to concerns about strengthening and diversifying urban food systems. We examine sustainability of urban food systems in Cameroon by contributing to an inventory of different food systems in the Yaounde VI District Metropolitan Area. There is a mix of food systems in Yaoundé VI, with modern systems being the most common. These modern systems are characterised by significant involvement of external actors in food production and distribution processes. Factors driving the diversity of food systems in urban areas include consumer preferences and dietary habits, which in turn play a crucial role in shaping the dynamics of food supply and demand. Several strategies have been proposed to enhance the sustainability of these food systems, which include trial and testing of soilless cultivation as integral part of urban agriculture. This focuses on recycling of food waste and facilitating local distribution channels to reach out to consumers. These strategies aim to create more resilient, efficient, and environmentally friendly urban food systems. To improve the sustainability of urban food systems in Cameroon, the following interventions are necessary: (i) recognising women’s significant contributions as producers and traders, tailored training or mentorship programmes should be implemented to empower them, improve their skills and link them to successful women entrepreneurs in the agrifood sector, (ii) an enabling environment that can help urban communities optimise space for sustainable food production through soilless cultivation, vertical farming, use of online platforms for local food markets, local food networks and markets that connect producers directly with consumers, thereby increasing sales and reducing dependence on middlemen along the value chain, (iii) conducting workshops on food waste management including food waste recycling and composting to support sustainable agricultural practices among households and businesses in urban areas, (iv) creating a supportive regulatory and policy framework that provides smart subsidies for adoption of sustainable urban agricultural practices and technologies, and that helps local governments promote land use regulations that facilitate urban farming, and (v) promoting local products through cooking and nutrition seminars and local awareness campaigns to support healthier eating habits.

Global food demand is projected to increase by 56% between now and 2050, necessitating greater food production, including animal products. To meet this demand, it is crucial to utilize alternative livestock, such as rabbits, which reproduce quickly and are already part of local diets. Additionally, increasing food production requires the valorization of alternative feeds. Insects present a sustainable solution as they reduce the need for chemical fertilizers and improve both animal and human health. The black soldier fly (BSF), scientifically known as Hermetia illucens, has emerged as a promising option for organic waste management and sustainable livestock feed production. BSF larvae effectively convert organic waste into a protein-rich ingredient for animal feed, thus supporting sustainable livestock practices by providing nutritious feed while mitigating the environmental impacts of traditional livestock farming. Hence, we evaluate how incorporation of BSF larvae meal affect rabbit’s growth performance and economic efficiency. We find BSF larvae meal can be incorporated into rabbit feed at higher levels without compromising animal health or growth. This offers practical solutions to the challenges of rising feed costs and organic waste management. This study highlights the potential of BSF larvae as a nutritious and economical feed option in rabbit production, paving the way for more sustainable livestock practices while contributing to environmental sustainability. By implementing these findings, practitioners can improve profitability and promote responsible farming practices. Implementation in Feeding Regimens: Practitioners should incorporate BSF larvae meal into rabbit diets at levels up to 7.5% to optimize carcass yield and reduce feed costs. Farmers can utilize organic waste from their operations as feed for BSF larvae, creating a closed-loop system that minimizes waste disposal costs while generating high-quality protein for animal feed.

African countries face a triple burden of malnutrition, including undernutrition, micronutrient deficiencies, and overnutrition. Micronutrient deficiencies, particularly iron and zinc, are prevalent in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), affecting many children and adults due to inadequate intake of both plant-based and animal-based foods. For example, iron deficiency prevalence in the region ranges from 34% to 52%, while that of zinc ranges from 15% to 50%. Food fortification, the addition of vitamins and minerals to commonly consumed foods during processing, is a proven strategy to combat these deficiencies safely and cost-effectively. Parboiling, which involves soaking, steaming, and drying rice before milling, enhances water-soluble nutrients in the rice product. However, traditional parboiling leads to zinc loss and poor iron retention in rice. Given rice's status as a staple in SSA, fortification with iron and zinc during parboiling could effectively address these deficiencies, yet it remains underutilized. In the HealthyDiets4Africa project, iron and zinc fortified parboiled milled rice has been developed using Mini-GEM SunActive technology and its efficacy evaluated (see the diagram below for the business framework in Mini-GEM SunActive Brown rice parboiling technology). The Mini-GEM system and brown rice parboiling protocol were successfully scaled up to handle 300 kg per day using two rice varieties (ORYLUX 6 and CY2). Compared to traditional methods, the Mini-GEM brown rice parboiling protocol showed enhanced efficiency, reduced time, water, and energy consumption. Fortification using the Mini-GEM SunActive protocol significantly increased the concentrations of iron (Fe), zinc (Zn), and magnesium (Mg) in rice grains. Fortification did not affect the taste of rice, which is important to most consumers. Two Mini-GEM systems with a capacity of 300 kg per day were installed in Côte d’Ivoire. Sixty-seven women were trained on the protocols. This led to a more interest in the Mini-GEM technology, prompting the government to install 20 more systems in five regions, benefiting women groups. The fortification does not only improve nutritional value or food security but also offers opportunity to support women through capacity building. To ensure wide adoption of the technology, it is critical to intensify training programmes for women and other community members. It is also necessary to implement robust monitoring and evaluation to assess the impact of the fortified rice on nutrition and health outcomes in the target population to refine the business models for sustainability.  

Most young people in Africa, including Cameroon lack stable economic opportunities. A one-third of 450 million young people aged 15-35 are unemployed and discouraged, another third are vulnerably employed. This situation leads to poorer living conditions, encourages migration out of Africa and even contributes to conflicts on the continent. This points to the urgent need to create opportunities for youth, with substantial potential impact. With this in mind, we explore the youth entrepreneurial ecosystem in the Menoua Division, West Region of Cameroon, to understand its contribution to promoting an integrated use of natural resources for sustainable and healthy agricultural practices. We further examine what it takes within the youth entrepreneurial ecosystem to facilitate the implementation of a well-balance interaction between plants, animals, humans and the environment in the promotion of healthy and productive agriculture. Agroecological practices are mainly adopted by educated young men, operating in smallholder agricultural system. The youth mainly use technical innovations, focusing on developing agroecological practices such as the use of natural products for crop treatment and soil fertilization. Few young people are engaged in organisational innovations such as participatory guarantee systems, which facilitates networking of stakeholders in the agrifood systems. Key factors for engaging youth in agroecology include a favourable rural environment, desire for autonomy, profitability and discovery of opportunities. Success factors identified for young agroecology entrepreneurs are forming professional networks, promoting collective action and maintaining effective communication. Twenty support structures within the entrepreneurial ecosystem were grouped into four categories: public, parapublic, private and informal actors. However, there is a weak linkage between these components, with a mismatch between the services available and the expectations of young entrepreneurs. Barriers to these support structures are related to the lack of finance and market access for young entrepreneurs. The following interventions are needed required to promote agroecological practices among young entrepreneurs: 1) develop tailored training on agroecological practices, 2) provide capacity building and adequate resources to support structures to better meet young entrepreneurs’ expectations, 3) create living labs to facilitate networking opportunities, best practices and knowledge sharing, 4) provide incentives to financial institutions to create specific loan products for young entrepreneurs, 5) create market opportunities to showcase products of young entrepreneurs, 6) facilitate collaborative research among research institutions to promote agroecological innovations that are adapted with local needs, 7)implementing initiatives to share innovative practices and success stories among young entrepreneurs to promote creativity and collaboration in developing new agroecological innovations.