This chapter explores import substitution (IS), a strategy that bolsters domestic industries by reducing imports and promoting local production. It investigates IS’s role in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) for food security and development. The historical context of IS is examined, showing how nations adapted strategies. IS’s potential to improve food security via domestic production and socio-economic impacts like job creation are discussed. Challenges, technological advancement, and the need for trade balance are acknowledged. The chapter advocates for modernized strategies, integration with other approaches, ongoing research, and stresses IS’s multifaceted impact on economic, social, and food security aspects, emphasizing international collaboration.