African Union and Research Institute Draft Food Security Guidelines for Informal Markets To address the pressing issue of food insecurity in informal markets, the African Union (AU) and the African Union-Institute for Economic Development and Planning (IDEP) have collaborated to draft a set of comprehensive guidelines. These guidelines aim to enhance the safety, hygiene, and overall food security of informal food systems, which play a crucial role in providing sustenance to millions of Africans. Key Principles and Recommendations: * Prioritize Food Safety: The guidelines emphasize the importance of maintaining proper food hygiene practices, such as proper storage, transportation, and handling, to prevent foodborne illnesses. * Promote Market Infrastructure: They call for investments in infrastructure to improve the physical conditions of informal markets, including access to clean water, sanitation, and waste management facilities. * Empower Informal Traders: The guidelines acknowledge the need to empower informal traders through training and capacity building, providing them with the knowledge and skills to ensure the safety and quality of their products. * Foster Stakeholder Collaboration: They encourage collaboration between informal traders, consumers, government officials, and other stakeholders to promote a participatory approach to food security. * Promote Sustainable Practices: The guidelines emphasize the importance of adopting environmentally friendly practices, such as reducing waste and promoting local food sources, to ensure the sustainability of informal markets. Specific Measures: * Establishing food safety standards and certification programs for informal traders * Providing training on food handling and hygiene practices * Improving market infrastructure through the provision of clean water, sanitation, and waste management facilities * Facilitating access to financing for informal traders to invest in equipment and infrastructure * Implementing consumer education campaigns to raise awareness of food safety and healthy eating habits Significance and Impact: The implementation of these food security guidelines is expected to have far-reaching impacts on the well-being of African communities. By ensuring the safety and hygiene of food products in informal markets, the guidelines aim to: * Reduce the incidence of foodborne illnesses * Improve the nutritional status of populations * Promote economic growth by supporting informal food systems * Foster social inclusion by creating safe and accessible food environments for all Next Steps: Following the release of the draft guidelines, the AU and IDEP are seeking stakeholder feedback to refine and finalize the document. Once adopted, these guidelines will provide a roadmap for governments, development partners, and civil society organizations to collaborate in improving food security in informal markets across Africa.The African Union (AU) and the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) are collaborating to produce the first framework for the informal food sector and address its food security challenges. The commitments will be multi-sectoral and cover all 55 African member states, with guidelines that will help governments improve food security across the continent.The African Union (AU) and the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) are collaborating to produce the first framework for the informal food sector and address its food security challenges. The commitments will be multi-sectoral and cover all 55 African member states, with guidelines that will help governments improve food security across the continent. The draft guidelines were developed in line with the AU Food Security Strategy for Africa, published in 2021, to encourage improvements in food security management. The guidelines call for action at three main levels: – Increasing recognition of the informal food sector as fundamental to countries’ economies, health, food security, and livelihoods, particularly for women and youth. – Improving the inclusive participation of the informal food sector in political processes. – Greater investments in the food sector, including inclusive and significant improvement of infrastructure, capacity development, financial services, and a sustainable government budget allocated to support the gradual transformation of the informal food sector. Africa’s informal sector is critical to food security, employment, and livelihoods. About 70% of urban households in Africa purchase food from informal markets, including street vendors, kiosks, and traditional market vendors. The guidelines are designed to progressively improve the capacity of the informal food sector, both technically and in terms of knowledge, to adopt best food handling and operating practices, while encouraging and enabling governments to adopt approaches that involve and support the informal sector actors and their representatives. Historically, food security in Africa’s domestic and informal markets has been neglected or poorly managed. Up to 90 million people fall ill each year from foodborne illnesses, resulting in productivity losses estimated at $16 billion. Meanwhile, the international community invests $55 million annually in food security projects on the continent. Western approaches to improving food safety, which include compliance with strict requirements and complex documentation processes, are only suitable for the formal sector, which is regularized and has sufficient financial resources. The guidelines will offer practical food security solutions for Africa’s informal market. With the right support, governments can unlock the informal food sector as a vehicle for healthy and safe food for all, and as a source of decent and dignified employment for men and women, especially youth, in Africa. The AU and ILRI aim to involve various food sector stakeholders, including representatives of the informal sector, civil society organizations, community organizations that interact with the informal food sector, and trade unions where necessary. The guidelines are based on ILRI’s research and interventions to improve food security in Africa. These included a “tug-of-war” approach in Burkina Faso, including food hygiene training for chicken grills and consumer awareness campaigns. The initiative also seeks to professionalize the informal dairy sector in Kenya through training and marketing. “Food and nutrition security is a human right, and yet unsafe food undermines this right for millions of Africans every year,” says John Oppong-Otoo, food security officer at the African Union’s International Bureau of Animal Resources. “We believe these new guidelines will provide realistic and practical guidance to help governments work with the informal sector and gradually transform it to sustain the population safely and sustainably.”The African Union and the African Food Security Research Institute have jointly developed guidelines to enhance food security in informal markets across the continent. Informal markets play a crucial role in food distribution, providing essential food sources for many communities. However, these markets often face challenges such as poor infrastructure, limited access to resources, and food safety concerns. The guidelines aim to address these challenges by providing practical recommendations on market infrastructure, food handling practices, hygiene standards, and waste management. They also emphasize the importance of empowering market vendors through training and capacity building. The guidelines were developed through a consultative process involving experts from academia, government agencies, civil society organizations, and market vendors. They draw on best practices from successful interventions in informal markets across Africa. The implementation of these guidelines is expected to improve food safety, reduce food loss and waste, and boost the livelihoods of market vendors. By addressing the challenges faced by informal markets, the guidelines aim to enhance the overall food security and nutrition status of communities across Africa. The African Union and the African Food Security Research Institute are committed to supporting the adoption and implementation of these guidelines by governments, local authorities, and market stakeholders. They believe that these guidelines will contribute to the achievement of food security and improved nutrition for all Africans.