From supermarket chains and shopping trolleys to bustling markets, food stalls and neighbourhood spaza shops, how we buy food is constantly evolving in Africa. Despite the rapid expansion of formal retail, informal food economies remain at the heart of how millions of urban residents access food every day.
This episode takes us into the markets and informal trading spaces that feed African cities. It also takes a close look at the scale and importance of the informal sector and its influence on how food moves, is traded and reaches people. Beyond their economic role, these spaces are also deeply social and cultural, places where people gather and traditions are shared.
Through the voices and experiences of traders and practitioners, the episode asks what could be lost if informal food economies are overlooked as cities transform. It also unpacks how cities can reshape food systems without compromising the livelihoods, knowledge, relationships and cultures that already help people access food every day.
As Africa’s cities grow, the episode considers what the future of food trade could look like, and why the markets already feeding millions may hold important lessons for building more inclusive, resilient and culturally rooted urban food systems.
Future Plates is an ARC production in partnership with AfriFOODlinks – a project funded by the European Union.
Visit the AfriFOODlinks website for more information about the project: https://afrifoodlinks.org/