Strategic Pathways for Applying Food Processing Principles in the Implementation of Nutrition-Smart and Nutrition-Sensitive Agriculture in West Africa ^†

Abstract

West Africa faces persistent food and nutrition insecurity despite agricultural efforts, exacerbated by population growth, climate change, and socio-economic vulnerabilities. This study argues that integrating food processing principles with nutrition-sensitive agriculture (NSA) and nutrition-smart agriculture (NSmartAg) offers a transformative solution for human health. Therefore, we delineate these interconnected concepts and highlight their synergistic potential for a nutrition-focused food system. Likewise, critical analysis of key regional challenges, including infrastructural weaknesses, policy gaps, and gender inequities, was made prior to identifying significant opportunities for leveraging food processing as a strategic entry point to accelerate the implementation of NSA and NSmartAg. Based on these insights, six strategic pathways are proposed to achieve this objective: (i) integrating food processing into policies; (ii) investing in interdisciplinary R&D that puts nutrition and health benefits at the forefront of desired outcomes along with others; (iii) strengthening farmer and food processor capacities; (iv) improving agri-food infrastructure; (v) fostering multi-sectoral collaboration; and (vi) prioritizing youth engagement and market development. By adopting these integrated strategies, West African countries can build more resilient, equitable, and nutrition-centered food systems, ultimately improving public health outcomes and fostering sustainable regional development.

1. Introduction

Many West African countries have made food security a policy priority. However, the region continues to face high rates of malnutrition, foodborne illnesses, and hunger [1]. A study by [2], using six nutrition indicators including stunting, wasting, anemia, and overweight, classified West African countries into four trend groups and projected minimal progress toward the 2030 WHO targets. Similarly, Ref. [3] estimates that 20% of the population in the region remains undernourished, with limited likelihood of achieving the goal of zero hunger by 2030. This situation underscores the need to move beyond increasing food quantity to enhancing food quality, safety, and nutritional value. Nutrition is not just about calorie intake but also involves the adequate consumption of proteins, fats, fiber, vitamins, and minerals, all essential to human health and immune function [4]. Food processing can support achieving this goal by preserving nutrient quality, extending shelf life, and reducing losses along the food chain. Yet, West Africa’s food processing systems remain largely traditional and underdeveloped, leading to significant inefficiencies. Moreover, food loss and waste (FLW) continue to increase in the region. For instance, Ref. [5] estimated food losses of over 2000 kcal per person per day in countries like Benin, Mali, and Niger, with more than 50% attributed to post-harvest handling and processing. Therefore, improving food processing practices offers multiple benefits, including reducing waste, enhancing food safety, and supporting rural livelihoods, particularly for women and youth. While modernization is needed, such improvements should build on the advantages of traditional systems to ensure sustainability and local relevance.

In this context, two complementary frameworks have gained prominence: nutrition-smart agriculture (NSmartAg) and nutrition-sensitive agriculture (NSA). NSmartAg emphasizes nutrition-focused farming practices, including biofortification and climate-smart agriculture, while NSA takes a broader approach that connects agriculture to nutrition, health, and gender empowerment. Despite their potential, implementing NSmartAg and NSA in West Africa is constrained by limited investment, weak infrastructure, and inadequate institutional support [6]. Meanwhile, food processing offers an actionable entry point for operationalizing these frameworks by linking agriculture to nutrition and health outcomes. Sustainable food processing plays a crucial role in accelerating the implementation of NSA and NSmartAg in West Africa [7]. This study explores and identifies actionable entry points as strategic pathways to strengthen the integration of food, agriculture, nutrition, and health to accelerate the implementation of NSmartAg and NSA in West Africa. These strategies are intended to inform policies and interventions that address the region’s pressing food and nutrition security challenges while supporting sustainable development.

2. Food Processing Principles, Nutrition-Sensitive Agriculture, and Nutrition-Smart Agriculture Linkage

Addressing food and nutrition insecurity in West Africa requires an integrated understanding of how agriculture, food processing, and health systems intersect. Three concepts are central to this integration: food processing, nutrition-sensitive agriculture (NSA), and nutrition-smart agriculture (NSmartAg). While distinct, these approaches are deeply interconnected and together form the foundation of a nutrition-focused food system. NSA provides a broader framework that links agriculture to nutrition and human health through policies and cross-sector collaboration. NSmartAg contributes by improving the nutrient quality of agricultural outputs, while food processing ensures those nutrients are preserved, enhanced, and delivered effectively to consumers. Together, they offer a comprehensive pathway to be explored for strengthening food systems, improving diets, and reducing malnutrition in West Africa.

Table 1. Key principles/descriptions of food processing and preservation, NSmartAg, and NSA.

	Food Processing and Preservation	Nutrition Smart Agriculture (NSmartAg)	Nutrition Sensitive Agriculture (NSA)
Focus and principles	Applying processes for transforming agricultural products into food products for: - Value addition - Nutrient retention - Shelf-life extension	Innovation-driven strategy for enhancing the nutritional quality of agricultural products. Focus on practices and integration: - Biofortification - ICT tools - Climate resilience	System-driven approach that influences policies and strategies for: - Food diversification - Gender empowerment - Cross-sectoral linkages
Description	Minimize nutrient loss through drying, fermentation, and low-heat cooking; extend shelf-life with hygienic packaging and storage; improve palatability and marketability of foods	Integrates nutrition goals with productivity through technology; promotes climate-resilient, nutrient-rich crops; utilizes ICT and precision farming tools to enhance outcomes	Focuses on increasing availability and affordability of diverse diets; promotes women’s empowerment and household nutrition decision-making; links agriculture to health and education
References	[8,9]	[10,11]	[12,13]

summarizes the core principles of each approach.

3. Agri-Food Systems in West Africa: Status and Constraints

Despite various regional and national initiatives aimed at improving agriculture and nutrition, West Africa continues to grapple with severe systemic challenges that impede the effective implementation of NSA and NSmartAg. These multifaceted challenges are deeply rooted in structural, institutional, and socio-economic constraints that affect the entire system from primary production through processing to final consumption. A nuanced understanding of these complex barriers is essential for designing impactful and sustainable interventions. This section elaborates on these critical challenges, drawing upon the identified need for a more robust discussion of implementation barriers.

3.1. Structural Constraints in Agricultural Systems

Agricultural production in West Africa is severely constrained by environmental and socio-economic factors. Soil fertility is in continuous decline, a problem exacerbated by unsustainable farming practices, such as monocropping and inadequate fallow periods, and the escalating impacts of climate change, which contribute to widespread land degradation [14]. This situation is further compounded by increasing water scarcity, particularly in the arid and semi-arid Sahelian regions, leaving agriculture heavily reliant on erratic and unpredictable rainfall patterns [15]. The high cost of agricultural inputs, including improved seeds, fertilizers, and pesticides, represents a significant financial burden for the region’s predominantly smallholder farmers. These economic and environmental pressures directly contribute to reduced overall yields and actively discourage the cultivation of nutrient-rich crops, which are frequently more resource-intensive and expensive to produce than traditional staple crops [16]. Consequently, dietary diversity is compromised right from the production stage, impacting the nutritional quality of available food. Furthermore, inadequate access to essential agricultural extension services poses a persistent problem. Farmers often lack the necessary knowledge and skills regarding modern farming techniques, sustainable soil management practices, or improved post-harvest handling methods. The dissemination of agricultural innovations is notably slow, and available technical advice is not always adapted to specific local contexts or the unique needs of diverse farming communities [17]. Access to finance also represents a barrier; limited availability of credit and formal financial services discourages farmers from making crucial investments required to enhance productivity or adopt new and more efficient technologies [18]. These structural constraints disproportionately affect smallholder farmers, especially women and youth, who typically face even greater restrictions in accessing resources and information, thereby perpetuating a cycle of low productivity and food insecurity across the region.

3.2. Post-Harvest Losses and Weak Infrastructure

Post-harvest losses (PHL) constitute a pervasive and substantial threat to food and nutrition security in West Africa, leading to significant quantitative and qualitative losses of foodstuffs and income for farmers. Estimates, such as those highlighted by [5], indicate that in countries like Benin, Mali, and Niger, over 50% of food losses occur during critical stages of post-harvest handling, processing, and storage. These losses are primarily attributable to underdeveloped or non-existent infrastructure. The road networks, often in poor condition and sparse in rural areas, render the transportation of agricultural products to markets and processing centers difficult, costly, and prone to delays that lead to the spoilage of perishable goods. The near-total absence of cold chains and modern storage facilities, such as refrigerated warehouses and silos, means that vast quantities of fruits, vegetables, dairy products, and grains are lost due to heat, humidity, pests, and mold [19]. In parallel, traditional food processing methods, while culturally embedded, are often inefficient in preserving nutrients or ensuring food safety at a larger scale [20]. These methods can result in significant nutritional losses and frequently fall short of the hygiene and quality standards required for commercialization or export. The pervasive lack of access to reliable and affordable energy, particularly electricity, in many rural areas further limits the modernization of processing and preservation techniques. This critical infrastructural deficit, combined with sub-optimal traditional processing methods, not only reduces the quantity of food available but also critically compromises its nutritional quality and safety. This exacerbates malnutrition problems and diminishes the income of actors throughout the value chain, creating a significant impediment to sustainable food systems.

3.3. Institutional and Policy Gaps

While many West African countries have commendably developed national food security strategies or agricultural development plans, the effective integration of explicit nutrition goals into these policies remains a challenge. Frequently, agricultural policies disproportionately prioritize staple crop yields (such as maize, rice, or cassava) and export potential over the crucial objectives of dietary diversity, the nutritional quality of food products, and the promotion of underutilized but nutrient-rich crops [21,22]. This narrow focus can exacerbate reliance on a limited number of staple crops, thereby reducing the resilience of food systems to shocks and constraining the availability of essential micronutrients vital for public health. Furthermore, the critical role of food processing is often overlooked or severely underestimated within national strategies. It is frequently perceived as a purely industrial concern, disconnected from primary agricultural production and broader nutritional outcomes, rather than being recognized as an essential link in the agri-food value chain that can add significant value, reduce losses, and enhance the year-round availability of nutritious foods [23,24]. This fragmented perception hinders the development of holistic policies that would support the entire food value chain, from farm to fork. A foundational issue also lies in inter-sectoral coordination, which remains persistently weak among ministries and agencies responsible for agriculture, health, education, trade, and national planning. This fragmentation of responsibilities leads to institutional silos, duplicated efforts, gaps in policy implementation, and a lack of synergy among various initiatives. A truly multi-sectoral approach is indispensable for the effective implementation of NSA and NSmartAg, as these concepts inherently demand coordinated interventions across multiple levels of the food system to achieve meaningful impacts on nutrition and food security.

3.4. Gender and Social Inequities

Women occupy a central and multifaceted role within West African food systems. They are pivotal agricultural producers, food processors, traders, and key decision-makers regarding household nutrition. Despite these indispensable contributions, they consistently confront persistent and deeply entrenched barriers that limit their full potential and, consequently, the effectiveness of nutrition-sensitive interventions [25]. Women’s access to land ownership is frequently restricted by customary laws or traditional practices, thereby depriving them of essential collateral needed to access credit, invest in their farms, or fully benefit from agricultural development programs [26]. Their access to formal financial services, such as bank loans or insurance, is also significantly limited, which curtails their capacity to purchase inputs, equipment, or expand their economic activities. Similarly, opportunities for training and skill development are often less accessible to women due to time constraints imposed by heavy domestic and agricultural workloads, prevailing social norms, or geographical distance from training centers [27]. These gender disparities directly restrict the reach and efficacy of nutrition-sensitive interventions, as women are less able to adopt new farming or processing practices that could enhance the nutritional quality of foods. Moreover, entrenched cultural norms and low levels of nutrition literacy, particularly prevalent in many rural areas, significantly influence both production decisions (favoring cash crops or less nutritious staple grains) and household food consumption practices, perpetuating sub-optimal diets. Understanding and actively working to dismantle these systemic inequalities is therefore fundamental for any strategy aimed at sustainably improving nutrition across the region.

3.5. Limited Investment in Nutrition-Oriented Innovation

Agricultural research and development (R&D) in West Africa suffers from underfunding, which significantly hampers the emergence and widespread dissemination of innovations crucial for enhancing food and nutrition security [28]. This underinvestment is particularly acute in specific, yet vital, areas such as the biofortification of staple crops (the enhancement of micronutrient content through conventional breeding), the development of sustainable and nutrient-preserving food processing techniques, and the establishment of agricultural extension services specifically tailored to address nutritional outcomes. Consequently, promising innovations developed by national research institutes or international centers often fail to achieve widespread adoption among farmers. Several compounding factors explain this low adoption rate. The dissemination of research findings is frequently inefficient, with limited communication channels that struggle to effectively reach smallholder farmers and other stakeholders. A lack of awareness regarding the potential benefits of these innovations also constitutes a major obstacle. Farmers are often uninformed about the existence of new crop varieties or improved techniques, or they may not immediately perceive their direct relevance or economic viability for their own farming operations [29,30]. Furthermore, innovations might not be sufficiently adapted to specific local contexts, traditional farming practices, or the resource availability of diverse farming communities, rendering their implementation difficult or economically unfeasible. This critical gap in investment and the subsequent ineffective diffusion of innovations severely limit the region’s capacity to transform its food systems and sustainably address the persistent challenges of malnutrition and food insecurity.

4. Leveraging Food Processing Principles and Past Initiatives to Overcome Constraints and Improve the Agri-Food System in West Africa

Leveraging food processing offers a multifaceted approach to address food and nutrition insecurity in West Africa, providing significant opportunities to advance NSA and NSmartAg agendas. This involves innovative practices, enhanced regional collaboration, and a strategic re-evaluation of local resources. Food processing appears as a particularly promising entry point, capable of significantly improving nutrition outcomes, drastically reducing post-harvest losses, and concurrently enhancing livelihoods across the diverse sub-region. Various NSA and NSmartAg initiatives already underway in several West African countries, exemplified in

Table 2. Successful NSA and NSmartAg initiatives in West Africa.

Country	Innovation Type	Description	Outcomes	References
Nigeria	Iron-rich millet fortification	Biofortified millet processed into flours, retaining nutritional content	Reduced anemia among women and children	[32,33]
Ghana	Orange-fleshed sweet potato processing	Community processors convert sweet potatoes into flour and bakery items	Improved vitamin A intake, local economic empowerment	[32,34]
Senegal	Women’s Agro-processing cooperatives	Female-led groups engaged in milling, drying, and packaging local crops	Increased income, improved diet diversity, community food resilience	[35]
Burkina Faso and Benin	Dried leafy vegetable packaging	Solar drying and hygienic packaging of moringa and other vegetables	Extended shelf life and reduced nutrient degradation	[36,37]
Mali	Rice fortification pilot projects	Fortified rice distributed through public school feeding programs	Enhanced nutrition outcomes for children	[38]
Benin	Cassava chips with fortified powder	Women’s groups produce cassava chips enriched with protein powder	Boosted protein intake and rural entrepreneurship	[39]
Togo	Small-scale solar dehydrators	Use of solar dryers for fruits and vegetables	Reduced spoilage and extended access to seasonal produce	[40]

, demonstrate the tangible potential and serve as valuable case studies for broader implementation. Furthermore, a study by [31] identified a range of agricultural technologies and innovations that are inherently gender- and nutrition-sensitive, underscoring their potential for further improvement and integration into NSA and NSmartAg frameworks.

4.1. Building on Previous Initiatives for Scaling NSA and NSmartAg in West Africa

Food processing technologies present substantial potential to fundamentally improve the nutritional quality and extend the shelf life of staple foods, thereby increasing their availability and accessibility. Indigenous and traditional crops, such as millet and sorghum, which are inherently rich in essential micronutrients, can be valorized and transformed through advanced processing techniques like fortification, roasting, or extrusion [41,42]. These methods are crucial for enhancing nutrient bioavailability and improving the palatability and marketability of these vital grains. For instance, in Nigeria, significant strides have been made in fortifying millet with iron and processing it into stable, shelf-ready food products specifically designed to combat anemia [43,44]. Similarly, in Ghana, orange-fleshed sweet potatoes, a rich source of Vitamin A, are being successfully utilized in community-based projects to produce nutritious, Vitamin A-rich flour and various snack items [45]. These targeted efforts not only directly address critical micronutrient deficiencies prevalent in the population but also provide support for local food enterprises and empower women-led cooperatives, fostering inclusive economic growth.

Moreover, regional institutions and food innovation centers play an increasingly active and pivotal role in championing NSA and NSmartAg initiatives. Organizations such as the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), the West and Central African Council for Agricultural Research and Development (CORAF), and the Permanent Interstate Committee for Drought Control in the Sahel (CILSS) are instrumental in promoting these agendas [46]. These crucial platforms facilitate vital knowledge exchange, foster collaborative research efforts, and ensure policy alignment across member states, which is essential for effectively scaling successful interventions regionally. Digital tools and mobile platforms are also being strategically leveraged to disseminate critical information to farmers on nutrition-sensitive practices, fluctuating market prices, and climate-smart agricultural techniques [47,48]. While these existing actions and partnerships are commendable, their impact can be significantly amplified through strengthened efforts and expanded support to accelerate the comprehensive implementation of NSA and NSmartAg throughout West Africa.

Indigenous knowledge systems offer a unique and often underutilized opportunity to enhance agricultural biodiversity, resilience, and sustainability within the region. Traditional practices, including diverse intercropping systems, agroforestry, and the use of local seed varieties, not only bolster the resilience of agricultural systems to climate stressors but also inherently support more diversified and nutritious diets. By systematically integrating these time-tested practices into NSA frameworks, communities can effectively preserve their valuable cultural heritage while simultaneously and substantially improving their nutrition security [49,50]. Furthermore, strengthening food supply chains through local and regional market integration can serve as a powerful catalyst for advancing NSA and NSmartAg. Smallholder farmers significantly benefit from structured market linkages, which not only enhance their income generation but also crucially reduce post-harvest losses and ensure that nutritious food products reach both urban and rural consumers more efficiently. Strategic investments in small-scale processing units and improved storage facilities at the community level empower farmers to engage in value addition activities, thereby significantly enhancing their economic standing while simultaneously boosting local food availability and food security.

4.2. Building on Food Processing Principles: NSmartAg and NSA for Enhancing Nutritious Food Availability and Shelf Life

Advanced food processing technologies are fundamental to addressing the complex food safety and security challenges confronting West Africa, especially in the context of rapidly growing populations [51]. These sophisticated technologies play a pivotal role in extending the shelf life of diverse food products, thereby mitigating food waste across the value chain and ensuring the consistent availability of nutritious foods throughout the year. Effective preservation techniques, encompassing novel approaches such as active and intelligent antimicrobial packaging [52] and the strategic incorporation of natural antioxidants derived from local sources [53], have emerged as critical strategies for maintaining optimal food quality and substantially prolonging usability. Further advancements in integrated food processing and packaging technologies, outlined by [54], clearly demonstrate a proactive commitment to addressing evolving consumer demands for safe, highly nutritious, and conveniently packaged food products. Additionally, the strategic integration of cutting-edge preservation methods, including non-thermal processing techniques like pulsed electric field (PEF) processing and the application of nanotechnology in food packaging [55], further enhances food shelf life while concurrently minimizing post-harvest losses that previously represented immense economic and nutritional drains. The widespread adoption of sustainable food preservation techniques, which are specifically designed to reduce environmental impact while maintaining superior food safety and nutritional integrity, is also gaining significant prominence and traction [56]. Ultimately, modern food processing serves as a foundational cornerstone of food security in West Africa. Its impact extends beyond merely extending shelf life; it fundamentally ensures the steady and reliable availability of diverse, safe, and nutritious food options for a growing population. The strategic integration of cutting-edge technologies and biotechnological advancements within the food processing sector strengthens the overall resilience of the regional food system, effectively addressing both immediate and long-term food security challenges across West Africa.

4.3. Building on Food Processing Principles: NSmartAg and NSA for Maintaining Food Safety and Increasing Economic Development in West Africa

As highlighted by [57], African policymakers are increasingly recognizing food safety not merely as a public health imperative but as a pivotal element in achieving comprehensive food security and, crucially, unlocking the immense economic potential of both intra- and extra-continental food trade. In this context, the role of modern food processing in systematically mitigating food safety risks is paramount, particularly in a region where traditional food handling practices can inherently contribute to significant safety concerns, as previously noted by [38]. By meticulously applying controlled processing techniques such as pasteurization, sterilization, or precise drying, harmful pathogens can be substantially reduced or eliminated, thereby significantly lowering the incidence of debilitating foodborne diseases that burden healthcare systems and reduce productivity. Therefore, sustainable and technologically advanced food processing stands as an indispensable cornerstone for concurrently enhancing public health safety and driving economic development across West Africa.

The economic implications of a well-developed and strategically implemented food processing sector are profound and far-reaching. The transformation of raw agricultural commodities into higher value-added products generates substantial employment opportunities across the value chain, from direct labor in processing plants to indirect jobs in logistics, marketing, and support services. This value addition vigorously stimulates local economies and fosters the organic growth of ancillary industries, creating a ripple effect of economic prosperity. As underscored by [58], increasing agricultural productivity in conjunction with significantly improving food processing and distribution systems is a fundamental prerequisite for supporting the region’s rapidly expanding food economy. Targeted investments in critical infrastructure (e.g., cold chains, modern processing facilities), advanced technology adoption, and comprehensive training programs for the workforce can further enhance economic diversification and accelerate overall growth.

A particularly crucial aspect of this transformative process is the indispensable role of women within the West African food system. Women play an overwhelmingly significant part in both informal and formal food processing and trade activities, yet they frequently encounter systemic challenges that severely limit their productivity and economic empowerment. These barriers include restricted access to essential credit, appropriate technologies, relevant training, and meaningful decision-making opportunities. Ref. [39] highlighted the vital importance of enhancing women’s roles across the food system, advocating for targeted policies that directly improve their access to critical resources and expand their economic opportunities. Similar insights were reported by [35], who identified highly profitable activities, such as the production of “atta” (a traditional cowpea fritter), predominantly carried out by women in Benin. However, their study also critically identified persistent barriers such as limited access to finance, improved processing technologies, and official government recognition. Addressing these challenges would not only empower countless women entrepreneurs but also contribute profoundly to poverty reduction and significantly enhance overall food security and resilience across the West African region. The strategic development of a well-structured and highly efficient food processing sector is therefore not merely beneficial but essential for West Africa. It not only safeguards public health by minimizing foodborne risks but also acts as a catalyst for sustainable economic growth, widespread job creation, and substantial poverty reduction. By investing strategically in food processing infrastructure and innovative technology and developing inclusive policies that support women’s full participation, West African nations can collectively forge a more resilient, healthier, and prosperous food system for all.

5. Strategic Pathways for Advancing Implementation of NSmartAg and NSA in West Africa

To fully harness the transformative potential of NSA and NSmartAg, West Africa must adopt and vigorously pursue strategic, highly coordinated, and genuinely multi-sectoral development pathways. These integrated strategies are not merely critical for addressing persistent technical and infrastructural barriers but are equally vital for systematically embedding nutrition goals into the region’s long-term agricultural and overarching economic planning. NSA and NSmartAg offer complementary and mutually reinforcing approaches essential for building food systems that are resilient, equitable, and inherently nutrition-focused. Based on a comprehensive synthesis of regional best practices and scientific insights, six strategic pillars emerge as foundational for achieving substantive progress (Figure 1). These pathways must be pursued simultaneously, consistently underpinned by unwavering political will, adequate resource mobilization, and inclusive governance mechanisms.

5.1. Integrating Food Processing into Agricultural Policy

In many West African countries, existing agricultural policies predominantly emphasize narrow objectives such as increasing yield, boosting export volumes, or achieving food security primarily defined in terms of quantitative output. Consequently, crucial aspects like food quality, nutrient preservation, and value addition through processing often receive inadequate attention. The explicit integration of food processing into national agricultural strategies is, therefore, an indispensable step toward achieving comprehensive nutrition outcomes. Countries must update their agricultural and nutrition policies to incorporate clear and measurable objectives pertaining to post-harvest processing, innovative food preservation techniques, and value addition along the entire food chain. These policy updates should be meticulously informed by updated data on nutrient losses at various stages, evolving consumption trends, and pressing food safety issues specific to the region. Public investment should be strategically prioritized for the development of modern food processing infrastructure, with a particular focus on rural areas where perishable crops are abundant and where localized processing can significantly reduce spoilage and transportation costs. Investment models that cater specifically to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are critical for fostering inclusive growth. Concurrently, regulatory bodies must develop and rigorously enforce comprehensive food safety and nutritional labeling standards to ensure quality control across both local and regional value chains. Furthermore, targeted incentives, such as tax breaks or direct subsidies, can effectively encourage private sector investment in the processing of nutritious staples. Crucially, policies should also support decentralized processing models that empower community-level operations, thereby not only minimizing transport expenditures but also significantly enhancing local employment opportunities and fostering community resilience.

5.2. Investing in Research, Development, and Technology Transfer

A robust and dynamic research ecosystem is an indispensable prerequisite for effectively supporting and advancing NSA and NSmartAg initiatives. Current investment levels in agricultural research across the West African region remain unacceptably low, severely limiting the systematic development of innovative solutions specifically designed to address pervasive regional nutritional deficiencies. A substantial increase in funding should be strategically directed toward the accelerated breeding and widespread dissemination of biofortified crops, including but not limited to vitamin A-rich cassava, iron-rich millet, and zinc-fortified rice, which offer cost-effective pathways to combating micronutrient malnutrition. National agricultural research systems must actively foster deeper collaborations with leading universities and international research institutions. This collaborative approach is vital for designing context-specific technologies, conducting rigorous adaptive trials across diverse agro-ecological zones, and ensuring that innovations are locally relevant and scalable. Equally paramount is the efficient and widespread transfer of these technologies to end-users. Many promising biofortified seeds and affordable, nutrition-enhancing processing tools remain significantly underutilized due to a persistent lack of awareness or insufficient capacity at the farm level. Governments should thus establish and strengthen public extension services that seamlessly integrate nutritional messaging with evidence-based agricultural practices. Digital platforms can further enhance dissemination efforts, offering farmers mobile-based advisory services on optimal biofortified seed use, integrated pest management, and emerging value chain opportunities. Critically, gender-responsive technology dissemination strategies are essential: women, who are often marginalized by conventional extension services, must be explicitly included and prioritized through targeted outreach and tailored training initiatives to ensure equitable access and impactful adoption.

5.3. Strengthening Farmer and Processor Capacities

Smallholder farmers, particularly women, constitute the very heart of food production and household dietary decision-making processes across West Africa. Consequently, significantly enhancing their capacity to effectively engage in NSA and NSmartAg practices is pivotal for achieving sustainable success. Capacity building initiatives must transcend conventional training solely focused on planting and harvesting techniques; they must expand to comprehensively cover critical areas such as basic food processing, on-farm fortification methods, improved preservation techniques, and effective market access strategies. Programs must be designed to holistically address both knowledge gaps and practical constraints, including pervasive issues related to limited access to credit, appropriate inputs, and, critically, restricted decision-making power within households and broader community structures. Capacity development initiatives must also be meticulously tailored to specific local contexts and thoughtfully consider the intricate socio-cultural dynamics that influence adoption. Community-based training models utilizing peer-to-peer learning have demonstrated considerable promise in rural settings, especially when women are actively empowered to lead and facilitate these sessions, fostering greater trust and relevance. Furthermore, robust nutrition education should be seamlessly incorporated into all training curricula, helping farmers and processors understand not only the agricultural benefits but also the profound health advantages of producing and consuming diversified and fortified foods. Strategic partnerships with civil society organizations and local non-governmental organizations can significantly amplify outreach efforts, fostering sustained behavioral change and wider adoption. In the long term, establishing comprehensive vocational education programs focused on agri-food entrepreneurship for youth and women can unlock entirely new opportunities for employment, foster innovation, and cultivate future leadership within West Africa’s evolving food systems.

5.4. Improving Infrastructure and Post-Harvest Systems

Persistent post-harvest losses continue to pose a formidable threat to food security and nutrition across West Africa. The pervasive inadequacy of infrastructure—ranging from poorly maintained rural roads to a critical lack of reliable energy for refrigeration—leads to massive spoilage of perishable goods and significant economic losses throughout the value chain. Therefore, strategic and targeted investments in rural infrastructure must constitute a paramount policy priority. Governments should commit substantial funding to crucial areas such as improving farm-to-market road networks, expanding rural electrification (with a strong emphasis on sustainable, renewable options like solar power), and enhancing access to clean water for both irrigation and food processing operations. Cold chain systems are of particular importance for preserving highly perishable, nutrient-rich foods, including fresh fruits, vegetables, dairy products, and animal proteins. Establishing affordable and energy-efficient cold storage units at strategic aggregation centers can dramatically reduce spoilage and extend the marketable shelf life of high-value crops, thereby stabilizing markets and increasing farmer incomes. Additionally, the development of decentralized mini-processing hubs, strategically equipped with modern drying, milling, fermenting, and packaging facilities, can effectively reduce post-harvest losses directly at the source and significantly improve the nutritional value and safety of food products. These community-level facilities should be readily accessible to farmer cooperatives, women’s groups, and youth entrepreneurs, actively supported by tailored capacity-building programs and accessible microfinance schemes to ensure their sustainability and broad impact.

5.5. Fostering Multi-Sectoral Collaboration and Governance

The inherently complex and multifaceted nature of malnutrition, coupled with the ambitious scope of agricultural transformation, necessitates profound collaboration across diverse sectors and at multiple levels of governance. Agriculture, in isolation, cannot effectively resolve nutrition challenges without deeply coordinated action with the health, education, finance, trade, and environment sectors. Governments must establish and empower robust multi-sectoral platforms and high-level steering committees specifically tasked with coordinating the planning, funding allocation, implementation, and rigorous monitoring of NSA and NSmartAg initiatives. Joint policy frameworks are indispensable; they should meticulously align national agricultural development plans with overarching national nutrition strategies, relevant education curricula (e.g., through nutrition-sensitive school feeding programs), and comprehensive social protection systems. Collaborative monitoring and evaluation systems can significantly aid in tracking progress against shared, multi-dimensional indicators such as dietary diversity improvements, food safety adherence, and school nutrition outcomes. International donors, non-governmental organizations, and the private sector should be actively engaged early in the planning process to ensure coherence, optimize resource utilization, and enhance the long-term sustainability of interventions. Local government and community engagement are equally vital, as decentralized governance structures can effectively support context-specific interventions and build strong local accountability. By genuinely involving local leaders, farmers, and civil society organizations in both planning and decision-making processes, multi-sectoral collaboration can be rendered far more inclusive, responsive, and ultimately, more effective. Ultimately, sustained political commitment and visionary leadership are paramount to driving systemic change and ensuring that nutrition remains a central, non-negotiable tenet of West Africa’s agricultural transformation agenda.

5.6. Youth Engagement and Market Development

Harnessing the demographic dividend of West Africa’s burgeoning youth population and strategically developing robust market linkages are critical, yet often overlooked, pathways for advancing NSA and NSmartAg. The region’s youth represent a dynamic force for innovation and entrepreneurship within the agri-food sector. Investing in their skills and providing opportunities in value addition, processing, and modern agricultural practices can transform them from being mere job seekers into catalysts for economic growth and nutritional improvement. This involves establishing vocational education programs focused on agri-food entrepreneurship that equip young people with technical skills in food science, business management, and marketing. Encouraging youth-led start-ups in food processing, particularly those utilizing local nutritious crops, can create new employment avenues and introduce innovative, healthy food products to the market.

Furthermore, strengthening market development is essential to ensure that nutritious foods produced through NSA and NSmartAg initiatives reach consumers efficiently and affordably. Many smallholder farmers struggle with limited access to reliable markets, leading to post-harvest losses and discouraging the production of diverse, nutrient-rich crops. Strategic interventions should focus on building structured market linkages that connect farmers directly to processors, retailers, and urban consumers. This includes developing digital market platforms that provide real-time price information, facilitating aggregation models for smallholders, and investing in market infrastructure such as collection centers and efficient transportation networks. Promoting local and regional trade in nutritious processed foods can further stimulate demand and provide stable outlets for agricultural produce. By empowering youth to drive innovation in these emerging markets and fostering more efficient and equitable market systems, West Africa can ensure that its agricultural productivity translates directly into improved nutrition and sustainable economic development for all.

Table 3. Strategic pathways and expected outcomes.

Strategic Pathway	Detailed Actions	Expected Outcomes
Integrate food processing into policy	Develop standards, invest in SME processors, mainstream nutrition targets.	Reduced losses, improved shelf life and nutrient retention
Invest in R&D and tech transfer	Support research institutes, fund fortification trials, foster public-private partnerships	Widespread access to enhanced crops and processing innovations
Strengthen farmer and processor capacity	Train on food safety, drying, fortification, and business models	Increased adoption of best practices and diversification
Improve infrastructure	Cold chains, rural roads, processing units powered by renewable energy	Minimized post-harvest losses, reduced rural poverty
Multi-sectoral collaboration	Create inter-ministerial working groups, nutrition task forces, joint monitoring systems	Coherent and sustainable nutrition–agriculture governance
Youth engagement	Support agri-preneurship and digital literacy programs	Boosted innovation and job creation in the agri-food sector
Market development	Facilitate access to urban markets for rural processed products	Greater value chain integration and smallholder revenue growth

summarizes insights into these strategic pathways and their expected outcomes.

6. Conclusions

West Africa faces a critical and complex food and nutrition security challenge, demanding a fundamental shift from merely increasing yields to prioritizing food quality, safety, and nutritional value. This review has established that food processing, NSA, and NSmartAg are intrinsically interconnected pillars, crucial for building resilient and nutrition-centered food systems. Food processing, notably, stands out as a pivotal and actionable entry point, offering diverse pathways to integrate agriculture, food systems, nutrition, and human health, thereby drastically accelerating the implementation of NSA and NSmartAg across the region. Our analysis not only highlights persistent challenges like infrastructural deficits and institutional gaps but also reveals significant, yet underexploited, opportunities rooted in local knowledge, technological advancements, and collaborative frameworks. The strategic imperative for a cohesive nutrition–agriculture alignment is undeniable, advocating for a deliberate and integrated approach. The proposed strategic pathways, ranging from policy integration and robust R&D investment to enhanced capacities, infrastructural improvements, multi-sectoral collaboration, and youth-driven market development, are not mere recommendations but interconnected components of a transformative agenda.

Achieving this vision is imperative for West Africa’s future. It demands unwavering political commitment, innovative financing, and inclusive governance that empowers all stakeholders. By systematically embedding food processing as a central, catalytic element within the broader NSA and NSmartAg frameworks, West African nations can transcend current limitations, fostering more resilient, equitable, and nutrition-centered food systems that ensure healthier populations and sustainable regional development for generations to come.