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Stories, simulations and narratives: Collaboratively exploring food security and agricultural innovation in sub-Saharan Africa

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  • Sanga, Udita
  • Schlüter, Maja

Abstract

Food insecurity remains a global challenge, with differing narratives shaping interventions in sub-Saharan Africa. The “crisis narrative,” favored by aid agencies, links insecurity to production issues, advocating agricultural innovations. Meanwhile, the “chronic poverty narrative,” reflected in African policy, ties insecurity to farmer poverty, emphasizing livelihood and economic solutions. Narrative subjectivity can lead to uncritical privileging of certain understandings and solutions, necessitating a critical exploration of contexts, causes, and solutions to food insecurity in the region. Our research addresses the need to understand and illustrate the complex problem of food insecurity in the region.

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  • Sanga, Udita & Schlüter, Maja, 2025. "Stories, simulations and narratives: Collaboratively exploring food security and agricultural innovation in sub-Saharan Africa," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 224(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:agisys:v:224:y:2025:i:c:s0308521x24003913
    DOI: 10.1016/j.agsy.2024.104241
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