The Circular Food Systems in Africa (CFS) project, funded by the Australian government through the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR), is a transformative initiative focused on integrating irrigation, livestock, and dryland agricultural production to establish climate-smart, circular food systems in Mozambique, Tanzania, and Zimbabwe. By leveraging smallholder irrigation schemes as a foundation, the project aims to foster sustainable resource use, enhance local livelihoods, and increase resilience to climate change.

Through co-designed solutions with local stakeholders, the project prioritizes gender equality and youth inclusion, creating opportunities for women and young people in small and medium enterprises (SMMEs). It focuses on reducing resource consumption, optimizing value chains, and scaling sustainable practices through policy reform and innovative financing mechanisms.

Key outcomes include improved food security, economic growth, and climate resilience, demonstrating how circular food systems can decouple social and economic benefits from environmental costs. By bridging scientific research and practical implementation, the CFS project is setting a new benchmark for sustainable food systems in Africa.

Working in at least 5 localities in Mozambique, Tanzania and Zimbabwe, the project aims to use agricultural innovation platforms to build a mutual understanding of the basics of circularity (including creating local jobs for women and other underserved groups in value-adding locally) and facilitate the integration and inclusive co-design of local small, medium, and micro enterprises (SMMEs) and associated value chains.