Not doubts substantial progress has been made globally towards combating hunger and malnutrition. Nevertheless, consumption of energy dense-processed foods is on the increase especially in developing countries with the attendance effects on the rising rates of overweight and obesity globally, and the slow progress in the reduction of micronutrient malnutrition \in many developing countries. Encouraging food consumption variety is emphatically germane in this context as most households in developing countries are poor and subsist on monotonous diets of poor nutritional quality. Given that the livelihoods of the majority of people in these regions are connected to agriculture, this review, again, presents the opportunity to raise the fundamental question of whether an agricultural development pathway that prioritizes transformation of the food systems for improved food consumption diversity could provide new avenues for addressing the persistent food insecurity, malnutrition and related health ills especially in developing countries. This is therefore the right time to re-examine how environmentally sustainable are the agricultural production practices, as well as food processing, distribution and consumption choices being made by various actors in the food systems, locally, nationally, at the region and worldwide. Against this background, there is the need to examine the land use system, land tenure security, governance of land and natural resources and the roles of institutions involved in its management, the legal frameworks and other socioeconomic concerns in relation to sustainable food production. How not to marginalize the livelihood plights of vulnerable populations should be of great concerns in this regards. This is germane especially in Africa’s setting where lands are mostly informally administered with grabbing easier for some “powerful elements”. Involvement of the civil societies/NGO cannot be overemphasized in this matter. This is also the time re-echo the need to promote sustainable production of indigenous, healthy and nutritious foods that are almost disappearing from the food baskets as they will enriched the baskets of food choices and biodiversity. The determinants of, and incentives to be provided to stimulate farmers’ willingness to grow such crops/foods as well as adopt sustainable farm production practice must be examined. While the need to promote sustainable food consumption choices and practices are very critical, what constitutes an “acceptable index of healthy diets/foods” from sustainable development point of view would remain a task to be pursued. Studies that seek to uncover the underlying reasons for dietary changes and willingness to consume sustainably as well as the roles of food industries and development appropriate regulations are also very critical issues.
Dare Akerele