Modern agricultural systems that promote cultivation of a very limited number of crop species have relegated indigenous crops to the status of neglected and underutilised crop species (NUCS). The complex interactions of water scarcity associated with climate change and variability in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), and population pressure require innovative strategies to address food insecurity and undernourishment. Current research efforts have identified NUCS as having potential to reduce food and nutrition insecurity, particularly for resource poor households in SSA. This is because of their adaptability to low input agricultural systems and nutritional composition. However, what is required to promote NUCS is scientific research including agronomy, breeding, post-harvest handling and value addition, and linking farmers to markets. Among the essential knowledge base is reliable information about water utilisation by NUCS with potential for commercialisation. This commentary identifies and characterises NUCS with agronomic potential in SSA, especially in the semi-arid areas taking into consideration inter alia: (i) what can grow under water-scarce conditions, (ii) water requirements, and (iii) water productivity. Several representative leafy vegetables, tuber crops, cereal crops and grain legumes were identified as fitting the NUCS category. Agro-biodiversity remains essential for sustainable agriculture.

Fisheries in Sub-Saharan Africa are vulnerable to the effects of climate change, which include changes in mean temperature, increasing rainfall variability and the occurrence of extreme weather events. This article reviews evidence on the magnitude of climate change and the nature of its impacts on both inland and marine fisheries. In addition, the review also focuses on the impacts of climate change on fishery-dependent communities and finally highlights climate change adaptation strategies adopted by fishers. A systematic approach was employed to search and select relevant published literature used in this review paper. The reviewed literature indicated the challenge of declining fish catches in several fishing communities, which was associated with climate change and variability. Changes in mean temperature, rainfall quantities and patterns, sea-level changes, water salinity, and lake levels affect fish productivity. Fishers in sub-Saharan Africa adopt different strategies to sustain their livelihoods and food security, which are being threatened by climate change. Adaptation strategies employed by fishers to cope with the impacts of climate change include, changing fishing gear, migration, targeting new species, and increasing fishing grounds and time spent fishing. To promote socio-ecological adaptation and fisheries sustainability, it is crucial to understand the impacts of climate change at a local level, which would inform policy and fisheries management practices.

Approximately one-third of the global population suffering from chronic hunger are in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). In addition to high prevalence of chronic hunger, millions of people suffer from micronutrient deficiencies. Meanwhile, there is growing consensus across scientific disciplines concurring that fish plays a crucial role in improving food and nutrition security. Therefore, the present review aims to demonstrate the role of fish and the whole fisheries sector towards securing food and nutrition security in SSA by summarizing the existing literature. Fish is a treasure store of animal protein and essential micronutrients such as zinc, iodine, calcium, and vitamins, which are essential in human nutrition and have proven to help reduce the risks of both malnutrition and non-communicable diseases. Policymakers, development agencies, and society should recognize the role that the fisheries sector can play in combatting hunger and undernutrition, especially for the poor and marginalized people in SSA.

Increasing demand for nutritious, safe, and healthy food, including the need to preserve biodiversity and other resources, signifies a prodigious challenge for agriculture, which is already at risk from climate change. Diverse and healthy plant-based diets may significantly reduce food insecurity, malnutrition, diet-related diseases, and other health-related issues. More attention to agricultural systems diversity is mandatory to improve the economic, environmental, ecological, and social sustainability of food production in developing countries. In this context, neglected legume production could significantly provide nutritional and healthy benefits for people while adhering to sustainability principles. However, the contribution of neglected legumes to food and nutrition security is still limited due to socio-economic challenges faced by farmers that contribute to the underutilization of neglected legumes, leading to overreliance on a few legumes with poor resilience to climatic perturbations, thus posing a risk to sustainable food production. While major legumes offer higher economic returns and more developed value chains, they also contribute to environmental degradation and resource depletion. Neglected legumes, on the other hand, provide ecosystem services, promote biodiversity, and offer climate resilience but face economic challenges due to limited market demand and underdeveloped value chains. Consequently, food nutritional insecurity and human health concerns remain prevalent, especially in developing countries. There is an urgent need to promote neglected legumes in agricultural systems through policy change implementation, genetic improvement, and development, fostering international cooperation to share knowledge, technologies, and best practices in the production and utilization of neglected legumes. This review comprehensively explores the utility of neglected legumes for food, nutritional security, and human health. It identifies knowledge gaps that should be prioritized as part of research strategies for sustainable future food systems in sub-Saharan Africa.

Renewed interest in the nexus between sustainability and food security has led to growing discussions on the use of food sovereignty principles in agricultural practice. As a result of the transfiguration of the urban and socioeconomic landscape in the global South, urban and peri-urban agriculture has been touted as a potential response to increasing food insecurity in cities. Yet, both urban and peri-urban agriculture and food sovereignty have attracted cursory scholarship and programming in Zimbabwe due to fixation on more dominant rural and conventional agriculture. Beyond the rudimentary idea that the urban landscape is unfit for food production, literature has demonstrated that urban households have ingrained urban and peri-urban agriculture into their livelihoods. Regardless, institutional arrangements governing the practice remain ambivalent towards the practice, bringing to question the ability of households to fully exploit the benefits of the practice. This review underscores that failure to involve of all stakeholders undermines urban and peri-urban agriculture, consequently leading to heightened food insecurity and use of unsustainable practices. By delving into the political economy of food, we hope to stimulate discussion centered on food sovereignty within and urban spaces and beyond.

Vegetable production is a source of income for smallholder farmers in Limpopo Province, South Africa. Vegetable production is constrained by the negative impacts of climate change and pests. This study assessed farmers’ awareness of climate change, farmers’ knowledge of insect pests and factors that influence insect pests’ prevalence. The data were collected using quantitative and qualitative methods. The data were subjected to descriptive and bivariate analysis. About 84.5% of smallholder farmers were aware of climate change. Late rainfall (24.4%), long dry spells (15%) and increased drought frequency (19.4%) were highlighted as dominant indicators of climate change by farmers. Aphids (22.2%), Bagrada hilaris (12.5%) and Spodoptera frugiperda (10.2%) were the most prevalent insect pests within the Vhembe District. Warmer winters, dry spells and high temperatures were perceived by farmers to influence insect pests’ prevalence within the district. It can be concluded that farmers are aware of climate change and climatic factors influencing pest prevalence within the district. Pest risk maps are needed to improve the preparedness of the government and farmers in controlling insect pests under changing climates.