Malnutrition—manifesting as undernutrition, micronutrient deficiencies, and rising rates of overweight and obesity—is driving an increase in noncommunicable diseases across the continent. Estherine Lisinge-Fotabong, Director of Agriculture, Food Security, and Environmental Sustainability at AUDA-NEPAD, expressed that this situation “remains a significant concern in Africa.”
Speaking at the 15th Africa Day for Food and Nutrition Security (ADFNS) Commemoration and the 20th Comprehensive Africa Agricultural Development Programme (CAADP) Partnership Platform in Harare, Zimbabwe, Fotabong emphasized the alarming fact that while the world produces enough food for everyone, one-third of that food is wasted. She attributed this waste to inadequate transportation infrastructure, poor harvesting practices, and insufficient post-harvest management.
Fotabong urged all sectors and stakeholders within Africa’s agrifood systems to take decisive actions aimed at improving food security and combating malnutrition.
Referring to the “Cost of Hunger in Africa” study, she reported that the annual costs associated with child undernutrition are estimated to be between 1.9% and 16.5% of the continent’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Furthermore, findings from AUDA-NEPAD’s study, “Ending Hunger in Africa by 2025—Conditions of Success,” reveal that nearly one in five people in Africa are hungry.
She warned that the alarming reality of the triple burden of malnutrition undermines the development and full potential of both current and future generations of Africans. Additionally, the four CAADP Biennial Review (BR) reports indicate that the continent’s persistent business-as-usual approach has hindered progress toward eliminating hunger and food insecurity by 2025, as outlined in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
“African Union member states must address institutional inefficiency and effectiveness, to strengthen systemic capacities in scale and quality for food and nutrition-sensitive actions,” she further advised adding that, “to achieve food and nutrition security, we must also address the complex impacts of climate change on Africa’s food systems.”
Proposed solutions include creating a political environment conducive to reducing malnutrition, ensuring that policies across various sectors—such as education, agriculture, and environmental sustainability—contribute to the fight against malnutrition, and delivering high-impact, targeted nutrition interventions to those in need, thus bridging the current gap between delivery and necessity.
Fotabong emphasized the need for a holistic approach, stating that the NEPAD Agency Nutrition and Food Systems Strategic Programme aims to catalyze and support multi-sectoral cooperation by bringing together various stakeholders and actions across different countries.
She noted that AUDA-NEPAD has been at the forefront of initiatives, including the transformative power of the ADFNS, which has significantly impacted the launch of Home-Grown School Feeding (HGSF) programs. “These initiatives illustrate how, with careful planning, investment, and time, an idea can evolve from a proof of concept to a comprehensive, continent-wide program,” she explained. She added that “Practical solutions to transform our agrifood systems will become a reality when we integrate fit-for-purpose policies with robust regulatory environments, sound knowledge, and targeted investments.”
Fotabong called for a comprehensive strategy to shape continental and regional agrifood systems, ensuring that they can deliver nutritious, safe, and affordable diets for all in a sustainable manner.
She emphasized that this approach should address the complexities of food and nutrition security in Africa by fostering collaboration. Key considerations include strengthening inter-sectoral cooperation and coordination at the national, regional, and continental levels; maximizing the connections between nutrition, agrifood systems, and education to accelerate economic growth, boost trade, and foster integration across the continent; supporting smallholder farmers, who represent the majority of rural African communities, and enhancing their capacity to produce nutritious food; strengthening platforms that connect farmers to local markets, attract private sector investment in the agrifood sector, create jobs for women and youth, and increase access to financial services for smallholder farmers; and promoting regional integration to facilitate the movement of surplus supplies across AU member states, fostering industrialization, and reducing the continent’s annual food import bill.
