Paper short abstract:

Secondary cities in Africa face scarcity of natural resources due to urban growth. In Côte d’Ivoire specifically urban growth generates changes within communities related to the management of these resources (land, water, and forest). The consequences of decision-making-processes about the access and use of natural resources impact the food supply chain in local communities in Tiassalé (southern Côte d’Ivoire), rural as well urban communities.

Paper long abstract:

This talk deals with urbanization, local governance of natural resources and what food insecurity means for households in Tiassalé, Côte d'Ivoire. It focuses on decision-making strategies related to the management of natural resources as well as subsequent impacts on food insecurity. The scarcity and/or precariousness of natural resources are the consequences of uncontrolled urbanization along the rural-urban continuum, which makes food production systems vulnerable.

In this context, characterized by difficulties in the access and dissatisfaction in the use of natural resources, poverty leads to serious pressure over resources, which induces changes in community rules in the handling of these resources. Tiassalé, a secondary town in Côte d'Ivoire, offers an opportunity to observe urbanization processes, natural resources governance issues, and subsequent conflicts. Furthermore, how does the governance of access to natural resources in an urban context affects food production systems along the rural-urban continuum within the communities of Tiassalé?