Dr. Emmanuel Chilanga’s research examines how rapid urbanization in African cities, such as in Malawi, shapes food access, youth employment, and vulnerability in informal settlements. Through the Mapping African Urban Foodscapes project, his work highlights the social and spatial inequalities that limit access to affordable, nutritious food—particularly for young people living in restricted food zones. 

To address these challenges, Chilanga promotes agroecology and community-based food systems, encouraging composting instead of chemical fertilizers and establishing collective urban garden zones rather than relying on individual efforts. His collaboration with UNBC’s campus composting and sustainability programs connects local and global learning, showing how youth engagement and organic food practices can transform unhealthy diets into sustainable, healthy food cultures. 

UNBC’s Dr. David Connell studies how local food systems and agricultural land-use planning support community well-being and economic resilience. His long-running partnerships with the BC Association of Farmers’ Markets measure the economic and social benefits of farmers’ markets across the province—evidence that these markets generate local income for vendors, create entry-level opportunities, and improve access to fresh, affordable food for households. Connell’s work also informs agricultural land-use policies to protect farmland and sustain regional food supply, key levers for reducing vulnerability to food insecurity in northern communities.