The EU-funded Project “INtegrated and Circular Technologies for Sustainable city region FOOD systems in Africa (INCiTiS-FOOD)” aims to bolster food and nutrition security (FNS) across African city regions while concurrently mitigating environmental impacts and fostering circularity within food systems. The project will empower communities by creating opportunities in agri-food supply chains and promote environmental justice through transformative food policies. Embracing an interdisciplinary approach, INCiTiS-FOOD integrates technologies, engages stakeholders, builds capacity, and cultivates Europe-Africa partnerships for collaborative engagement.
Central to the project are eight living labs situated in six African countries (Kenya, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Cameroon, Gabon, Ghana), led by African partner organizations. They employ a user-centric approach to foster socio-technological innovation through participatory research and development and capacity building for local end-users via training initiatives. Focusing on hydroponics, aquaculture, aquaponics, and insect farming, these living labs adapt circular agri-food technologies to local realities, addressing challenges such as limited material availability and water scarcity. Prototype systems have been established across all living labs, complemented by comprehensive on-site trainings during the summer and autumn of 2023 in Ghana, Kenya, and Gabon. Leveraging a blend of theoretical and practical knowledge, participants gained foundational knowledge through the online edX course “Aquaponics ‒ the circular production system“ before engaging in hands-on training sessions at hosts’ living labs.
INCiTiS-FOOD’s Training of Trainers (ToT) approach plays a pivotal role in co-creating circular agri-food technologies and practices, equipping individuals with essential skills for sustainable development. The ToT curriculum, co-designed by ZHAW, prioritizes relevance and translatability, ensuring the efficient operation of living labs and the diffusion and adaptation of technologies to local conditions. Technical expertise is imparted through collaborations among consortium partners, covering a spectrum of topics, including aquaponics, aquaculture, and renewable energy. The ToT empowered over 100 participants while fostering gender equality and enhancing the capacities of living labs. Testimonials from Ghana, Kenya, and Gabon underscore the transformative impact of these sessions on skill acquisition and fostering networks critical for the dissemination and adoption of circular food technologies within African city regions.