Abstract

Post-sustainability challenges to food systems of Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) include climate change vulnerability, globalisation of agri-food chains and markets and emerging low-carbon energy systems. In addition, the lack of investment in research for development (R4D) in SSA, all underlines need to rethink R4D to pursue policy purposes. A starting point could be the sustainable livelihoods approach, as a research paradigm focusing on sector-related problems, while questioning the salience, credibility and legitimacy of research findings. Even with a sector-related prioritization of the investments in research in agriculture in the south, the north and south has to rethink partnership options to enhance capacity to do research. Without such rethinking, scientific logic will continue to limit the contribution that agricultural R4D can make toward achieving millennium development goals.

Key words: Research for development, livelihood, research paradigm, sub-saharan Africa.