City Food System Governance Assessment: Kisumu, Mbale, Ouagadougou, Tunis and Cape Town

Summary

The report analyses the governance dimensions of urban food environments in five African cities, revealing that while national policies influence food production, health, and urban planning, few urban-specific governance frameworks exist to address food environment challenges. It highlights fragmented responsibilities, limited city-level authority, and gaps in inclusive, multi-stakeholder decision-making. Priority interventions include establishing dedicated city food governance structures, strengthening market and school food policies, and embedding participatory approaches. By mapping policy gaps and governance bottlenecks, the report provides a roadmap for aligning local governance mechanisms with context-specific interventions.