Agrifood System Transformation in the Midstream and Downstream: Research Findings, Implied Risks, and Implications for Policy and Value Chain Program Design

Research by Michigan State University and the International Food Policy Research Institute under the Food Security Policy Innovation lab has documented profound changes taking place in African agrifood systems, driven by rapid urbanization, growth in per capita incomes, and the increasing reach of globalized markets over the past fifteen- to twenty years. Based on detailed analysis of household expenditure data sets across East and Southern Africa, processed food inventories in eight cities of three countries, and ongoing survey research on rapidly growing and transforming value chains (teff in Ethiopia, poultry in Nigeria, and grain milling in Tanzania), this Policy Research Brief does three things: (1) summarizes the key research findings; (2) identifies the risks that these patterns of change imply for sustained and inclusive growth; and (3) highlights implications of the patterns and the implied risks for the design of policies and value chain programs in this dynamic environment.