The African continent currently accounts for more than half of the world's potentially available unused arable land, yet it faces significant food insecurity challenges. Despite this vast agricultural potential, many African countries remain net food importers, with over 35 percent of consumed food, including cereals, pulses, grains, and fruits, sourced from outside the continent. The value of food imports has more than doubled from US$31.6 billion in 2000 to US$75.8 billion in 2019, highlighting a growing reliance on external food supplies. This dependency makes Africa vulnerable to global supply chain disruptions, as evidenced by the food shortages and price spikes following the Russia-Ukraine war. Although the continent has the potential to achieve food self-sufficiency, it lacks control over its food supply system, necessitating a deeper exploration of the factors contributing to this paradox and the development of strategies to enhance food sovereignty.

This research topic aims to investigate the factors contributing to Africa's food sovereignty challenges and to propose solutions for improving the use of available land to increase food production and self-sufficiency. The primary objectives include understanding the patterns of land use, examining the role of agricultural policies, and identifying external and internal factors affecting food sovereignty. Additionally, the research will explore the implications of food sovereignty for sustainable resource use and climate change mitigation.

To gather further insights into the complexities of land use and food sovereignty in Africa, we welcome articles addressing, but not limited to, the following themes:

• Patterns of land use in Africa and their impact on food production, including crop yields.
• Food production trends, focusing on staple foods across different regions of the continent.
• The role of land and agricultural policies in promoting food sovereignty in Africa.
• External factors influencing the status of food sovereignty in Africa.
• Factors behind the rising food imports and food prices on the continent.
• The meaning and implications of food sovereignty for Africa.
• Policy and strategic measures to increase food sovereignty on the continent.
• Gender dimensions of food sovereignty in Africa.
• Food sovereignty and sustainable resource use.
• Climate change and threats to food sovereignty in Africa.

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Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems

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