Africa's cities are growing faster than anywhere on earth. The question is whether Africa's cities are feeding people better.
Joshua Kafotokoza, Hannah Ameye & Matin Qaim set out to answer it. They linked ten years of Malawian household data to satellite maps and traced how urban growth reshapes what ends up on the family plate. Here's what they found:
🔹 Urbanization brings both healthy and unhealthy foods to the table.
🔹 It works through three channels: incomes, farms, and local markets.
🔹 The real nutrition gains show up only where local markets are well developed.
The main takeaway for policymakers: urban growth alone won't fix diets, but strong markets can.
This research gives us a sharper lens on the true nutrition dividend of Africa's rapid urbanisation.