At the heart of HFA’s methodology was the use of Food System Labs (FSLs)—living labs rooted in real-world communities and policy environments. The ten labs served as the operational base for experimentation, innovation, learning, and dialogue. Each FSL addressed specific local food system challenges, engaging with a wide range of actors: smallholder farmers, traders, processors, community groups, urban planners, policymakers, educators, and researchers. This multi-stakeholder co-creation process ensured that interventions were not only technically sound but also locally embedded, socially legitimate, and policy-relevant.
The work was done in close collaboration with science partners, covering the whole food system from production all the way to consumption. An overview of the results, by topic, can be summaries as follows; Key activities focusing on nutrition included the development of food and nutrition profiles for each FSL, co-designing of impact monitoring frameworks, producing contextualized nutrition education (ranging from school programs to radio campaigns), and synthesising of best practices into accessible tools. Across the project’s life cycle, production-related work focused on piloting urban gardening systems in informal settlements, enhancing peri-urban fruit production (e.g. avocado, mango), testing rhizobial inoculants to boost pulse yields, and deploying low-resource aquaculture technologies. The inclusive approach specifically involved women, youth, refugees, and schoolchildren, fostering local capacity and ownership.
HFA addressed the critical challenges of food safety, quality, and postharvest loss in African food chains. Operating at the intersection of innovation and grassroots needs, we worked closely with local vendors, processors, and food system actors to co-develop and pilot five postharvest technologies tailored to informal markets. These included the Zero Energy Evaporative Cooler (ZEEC), essential oil-based shelf-life extenders, food-grade stackable bamboo baskets, and value-added processing techniques for fish and vegetables.
Key innovations related to value chain governance included cooperative formation and support (e.g. in Rwamwanja and Cotonou), establishment of trader–producer associations (e.g. Kisumu), and capacity building on leadership, contract marketing, and gender-inclusive practices. Diagnostic tools ere combined with on-the-ground facilitation, enabling communities to co-develop resilient, self-governed food chain mechanisms.
From the start, the work on processing new innovative products emphasized user-centred design and technical rigor. The innovations were co-developed with SMEs, processors, school caterers, and rural women’s groups, ensuring relevance and scalability. Product development was accompanied by nutritional and microbiological testing, training programs, and regulatory registration. With strong uptake in Ghana and beyond, durable platforms were created — such as quarterly training cycles and a dedicated Food Innovation Handbook —that continue to support innovation beyond the project lifespan. In addition, a dedicated summer school for product innovation, quality and marketing was organised online at two occasions.
Key pathways for exploiting these results include:
• Replication by local governments, NGOs, and development partners;
• Commercialization by food processors, SMEs, and agribusiness startups;
• Policy uptake through submitted briefs, food system dialogues, and contributions to EU–AU frameworks;
• Potential educational use in curricula, training modules, and university-level programs.
