Leveraging the circular economy for efficient, resilient, and sustainable food systems in sub-Saharan Africa

Sub-Saharan Africa’s (SSA) food systems are in disarray and unable to meet their mandate of feeding the rapidly growing continental population. This necessitates rethinking and unthinking plans, policies, and interventions to positively steer the continental food system and make it more effective and efficient. Underpinned by the circular economy (CE) theoretical framework, this article explores the potential of the CE in improving the African food system. Drawing on a systematic literature review of 76 documents from the Web of Science and Scopus databases, this article identifies the challenges of SSA food systems. It examines how a CE can improve the efficiency, resilience, and transformation of SSA’s food system. The findings show that adopting the CE can help improve SSA food systems by reducing waste and resource extraction by reusing resources, recycling nutrients, and maximising the value of by-products. It can enable regional food systems to shift from the linear ‘make, use, dispose’ model to a more sustainable approach that keeps resources in use for as long as possible. This involves minimising waste at all stages of the food supply chain, from production to consumption. The article concludes that circular food systems offer a lens through which to view food systems from a value-chain perspective, thereby minimising resource extraction and waste production.