A Feminist Call to Transform Urban Food Systems at CFS

Gender equality was a central theme during this year’s 52nd Plenary Session of the Committee on World Food Security (CFS). But how women’s perspectives can be incorporated in driving change and bolstering decision-making power is often illusive. Integrating a feminist approach can offer solutions.

The global food crisis: an urgent call for action

In recent years, polycrises have brought escalating crises across the globe, ravishing food security, with 2.33 billion people facing moderate or severe food insecurity. In South Africa’s Cape Flats, research conducted by TMG Research’s Urban Food Futures programme showed, that households in the study areas (six neighbourhoods in the Cape Flats) struggle with food insecurity. In the first round of interviews with 2,000 households in September 2023, 87% of households faced food insecurity, with about 35% severely food insecure. In the second round in January 2024, food insecurity rates dropped slightly to 86%, with 32% severely affected (publication forthcoming).

The urgency of these crises demands attention and immediate action by governments since the consequences for marginalised populations are dire. This is exemplified by women in informal urban settlements who are particularly vulnerable to crises. They are often the sole breadwinners, shouldering economic and social responsibilities within the complex cultural fabrics of these settlements. Many spend long hours commuting on public transport to reach their workplaces, leaving little time for their families or self-care. This situation is further aggravated by late-night and early-morning travel, which also poses significant security risks.

In our research in Nairobi and Cape Town, we’ve shown how polycrises – from Covid 19, to climate, to the rising cost of living – have affecting women in urban areas. So this year, at CFS, we rallied alongside our peers to confront these challenges head on. At our side event entitled, "Uncovering the invisible: a feminist call to urban food system transformation," we joined our partners, Instituto Comida do Amanhã and Caritas Nairobi, to emphasize the critical role of gender equity in addressing urban food insecurity.

The invisibilisation of women in food systems  

Women are at the heart of food security and nutrition. They play crucial roles in providing, preparing, and securing food within their communities. However, their contributions are often made invisible by deep-rooted structural injustices. A feminist approach to urban food systems is essential for recognising these inequalities and strengthening the agency of marginalized people.

For example, community kitchens run by women serve as vital food security networks, particularly in times of crisis. In Cape Town, these informal networks provide necessary support to vulnerable populations. They not only provide fresh meals, but also help ensure first responders can support gender-based violence survivors through access to safer spaces. They additionally offering counselling or legal advice. Yet, such critical platforms frequently lack recognition and resources, and local authorities often exclude them from policy discussions.

Connecting gender inequality and food insecurity  

The intersection of gender, poverty, and violence creates complex challenges that defy simple solutions. Traditional policies often reinforce patriarchal divisions and overlook the essential roles women play. By adopting gender transformative approaches, we can work to fundamentally reshape harmful gender norms, roles, and power imbalances. These approaches go beyond simply accommodating gender differences to actively examine and transform the underlying causes of inequality rooted in social structures and food systems.

By embracing gender transformative approaches, we can better reveal the connections between gender, poverty, and violence. This allows us to advocate for policies that not only address immediate needs but also work towards long-term, sustainable change by insuring the inclusion of groups that are usually excluded in policy processes. Our approach highlights the importance of understanding the diverse root causes of intersectional marginalization. Tackling a complex problem like food insecurity requires gender-transformative approaches that go beyond addressing a single component, such as empowering women farmers. Instead, these approaches examine marginalization from a systemic perspective, considering factors like women's roles in consumption and processing, as well as the impact of infrastructure on their daily lives. Policies should promote inclusive decision-making processes that represent diverse voices, especially those of marginalised communities and women. 

Gender transformative approaches must not stay a utopian fantasy, as demonstrated by lessons from Brazil where food policies offer feminist alternatives. For example, The Bolsa Família program, established in 2004, is one of Brazil's most well-known and effective initiatives to combat food and nutritional insecurity. Recognized as a national and international benchmark, it integrates social assistance, food security, education, public health, and data generation, achieving significant positive impacts.

Twenty years on, Bolsa Família remains crucial in addressing Brazil's recent food insecurity crisis, which returned the country to the global hunger map. The program is gender-sensitive, prioritizing women, particularly mothers and heads of households, by providing financial aid tied to school attendance and vaccinations for their children. This approach leverages women’s roles in family care and food access, making them central to its success.

It’s time to unite: a call for synergy at CFS

As we move forward, we urge the CFS to create synergies between existing policy products on gender, inequality, and urban food systems. By taking this intersecting approach, we can develop more effective urban governance structures. 

We’re calling to:

1. Advocate for Gender-Transformative Policies in urban food systems: Ensure that food governance includes the voices and experiences of women and marginalised communities.

2. Support Community Initiatives in urban informal settlements: The policy recommendations on Urban Food System’s must recognise and call for resourcing informal food networks that play a critical role in ensuring food security.

3. Build upon the CFS Voluntary Guidelines on Gender and the Policy Recommendations on Reducing Inequalities for Food Security and Nutrition. Member States should continue to advance the discussions on gender and intersectionality in the context of urban food systems and thus contribute to breaking up existing concentrations of power.

A shared vision for change 

The discussions at CFS led to a resounding call to action: we must embrace feminist perspectives and prioritise gender equity to create resilient urban food systems. By doing so, we can ensure that food security is not just a goal, but a right for everyone. The next HLPE report on urban and peri-urban food systems should heed to this call.

Nicole's research focuses on rethinking the urban-food nexus for more inclusive and resilient urban futures. Her specific interests include the right to food, co-creation of knowledge with local communities, and feminist research approaches. Nicole obtained a PhD from Hohenheim University for her work on a food justice perspective in urban agriculture.

Lena has more than 14 years' experience as a researcher, policy adviser and campaigner focusing on, among other topics, agroecology, food justice, and international agricultural policy. She has previously worked with German NGOs Welthungerhilfe and INKOTA, and the German parliament. Lena holds a MA degree in Political Science and Communication Studies from the University of Mainz.