DIVERSIFYING FOOD SYSTEMS. Learning and Innovation in Horticultural Value Chains to Improve the Livelihood Situation of Rural and Urban Poor in Kenya, Ethiopia and Tanzania (HORTINLEA)

The reduction of hunger and poverty is one of the most serious challenges the global community is faced with. Moreover, several billions of people have to be added who suffer from the so-called “hidden hunger”, i.e., an inadequate supply of vital micronutrients such as vitamins or minerals. Especially in Sub-Saharan Africa there is nearly no progress recognized during the last decade. The growing demand for food must be met against a backdrop of rising global temperatures and changing patterns of precipitation. These changing climatic conditions will affect crop growth as well as livestock performance, the availability of water and the functioning of ecosystem services. Diversification into horticulture can contribute to poverty alleviation and improvement of diets through several pathways: (1) Horticultural crops can play a vital role in solving this global micronutrient crisis. (2) Horticultural crop production creates income opportunities because the production is very labour intense and value chains are more differentiated and (3) it can help to improve specially the situation of women.
The reduction of hunger and poverty is one of the most serious challenges the global community is faced with. Moreover, several billions of people have to be added who suffer from the so-called “hidden hunger”, i.e., an inadequate supply of vital micronutrients such as vitamins or minerals. Especially in Sub-Saharan Africa there is nearly no progress recognized during the last decade. The growing demand for food must be met against a backdrop of rising global temperatures and changing patterns of precipitation. These changing climatic conditions will affect crop growth as well as livestock performance, the availability of water and the functioning of ecosystem services. Diversification into horticulture can contribute to poverty alleviation and improvement of diets through several pathways: (1) Horticultural crops can play a vital role in solving this global micronutrient crisis. (2) Horticultural crop production creates income opportunities because the production is very labour intense and value chains are more differentiated and (3) it can help to improve specially the situation of women.