Special Issue Introduction: Africa and Her Indigenous Food (Volume 2)

<p>This special issue of <em>Food Studies: An Interdisciplinary Journal</em> presents the second of two volumes dedicated to the exploration of indigenous and traditional African foods. Despite a slight global decline in hunger, food insecurity in Africa continues to rise, with over 20% of the population affected in 2024. This volume addresses the critical disconnect between Africa’s vast agricultural potential—the continent possesses 60% of the world’s uncultivated arable land—and its current output, which accounts for only 10% of global production. The ten research contributions featured here emphasize the sociological, consumer-centric, and practical applications of indigenous African foods. Key themes include nutritional and medicinal value, such as investigating the potential of indigenous crops like the Kei apple, Venda kale, and anchote to combat micronutrient deficiencies and non-communicable disease; cultural identity and literacy through the examination of the systemic marginalization of traditional foods (e.g., pork myths in South Africa and the cultural affinity for local <em>ogi</em> in Nigeria) and the risk of losing intergenerational food knowledge; sustainable livelihoods such as analyzing market channel choices for smallholder farmers in Ghana and the resilience of traditional grain sorghum systems in rural South Africa against “peripheral relegation” from global trade networks; and finally, food innovation through the biochemical and nutritional benefits of fermented foods, such as locust-based <em>fendo</em> in Sudan. Collectively, these articles argue that integrating underutilized, climate-resilient indigenous crops is essential for building a sustainable, sovereign food system. By shifting the focus from global commercial staples to traditional biodiversity, this volume highlights a pathway toward long-term food security and the decolonization of African gastronomic culture.</p>