As Africa’s cities grow, so do the challenges and opportunities of feeding their youngest inhabitants. This July, the #AfricanCITYFOODmonth campaign hopes to shine a spotlight on the urgent need to ensure no child is left behind in the journey towards resilient, inclusive, and sustainable urban food systems.
Children are at the heart of Africa’s urban future. Yet across the continent, millions face food insecurity, poor nutrition, and limited access to safe, affordable, and nutritious food. Cities are uniquely positioned to change this trajectory. By investing in school meals, community-led initiatives, local food economies, urban agriculture, and inclusive policy-making, cities can become engines of nourishment and equity.
Under the banner “No Child Left Behind: Nourishing Africa’s Urban Future” this year’s campaign calls on local governments, communities, youth, and innovators to reimagine African cities as places where every child, regardless of background, can grow, thrive, and be nourished.
What to expect from the campaign this July
Join us as we amplify stories of transformation, spotlight groundbreaking initiatives, and foster dialogue on how African cities can lead the way in building just, inclusive child-centered food systems for generations to come.
Once again, #AfricanCITYFOODMonth will be convened in alignment with AfriFOODlinks, a four-year EU-funded project which proposes a new approach for equitably feeding and nourishing cities through safe, nutritious, and affordable food. ICLEI is a proud member of the global School Meals Coalition and this year’s theme aligns with ICLEI’s efforts to champion the role of cities in enhancing procurement of school meals in Africa and beyond.
Campaign highlights and activations:
Social media campaign by ICLEI Africa: Throughout the month of July, ICLEI Africa will be running a campaign to highlight moments, lessons, and reflections from various events and related food projects — this will amplify and share a variety of materials from short video snippets and youth ambassador stories, to quotes from partners working towards more inclusive and nutritious urban food systems across Africa. These will be released throughout the month on X, Instagram, LinkedIn and Bluesky.
Photography competition: Under the theme: “Who Feeds The Future?” this year’s photo competition shines a spotlight on the people, places, and practices shaping the future of food — from farmers and fishers to market vendors and activists. At its heart, it is about capturing moments that tell the story of who is growing, sharing, and sustaining the food that will nurture every generation, ensuring that every child has access to safe, nutritious meals and a chance to thrive. Participants can submit photos (old or new) alongside a short story or reflection. Entries open on 2 July 2025 and close on 31 July 2025
Upcoming virtual webinars: Join us for two insightful conversations. The first webinar, which is part of the #AfriFOODlinks Network Cities webinar series, highlights the critical role city governments play in ensuring universal access to school meals. The second webinar, hosted by ICLEI Africa’s SchoolFood4Cities project, explores how applying agroecological principles and practices can strengthen the resilience of the food system and improve the health, nutrition, and well-being of children. Registration details to be shared on LinkedIn and Instagram soon.
Blog post by AfriFOODlinks: This blog will highlight the ongoing 2025 mural competition, its significance to the project and showcasing entries with a community-driven focus where children and schools were the co-creators.
Research insights and knowledge products: Access research findings from urban food systems across 15 African cities, through knowledge products such as infographics, videos and reports. Visit the AfriFOODlinks Knowledge Hub for more information.
Call for inputs: If you’d like to contribute any relevant resources, or have any recommendations that align with the theme, we would love to hear from you! Tell us how you would like to get involved.
Join the movement
Be a part of the campaign by participating in the webinars and photo competition, and sharing case studies, resources and images on sustainable, child-centred urban food systems. Use the hashtags #AfricanCITYFOODmonth and #AfriFOODlinks on X, Bluesky, LinkedIn and Instagram to add your voice to the campaign. Share your own insights, findings and ideas – or simply engage and follow along for inspiring stories, impactful research, and exciting events!
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