Commemoration of the “12th Africa Day for Food and Nutrition Security” (ADFNS) was marked by a virtual colloquium from 28 to 29 October under the auspices of the African Union Commission (AUC).
The Assembly of the African Union Heads of State and Government, sitting in their 15th Ordinary Session in Kampala, Uganda in 2010, declared every 30th October as a day to highlight the essence and need for Member States to focus on improving the persistent challenges of food and nutrition insecurity that confront the continent.
This year’s celebration was under the theme “Rediscovering Our Local African Diets for Sustainable Food Systems and Nutrition”. It was organised by the African Union Commission’s Department of Agriculture, Rural Development, Blue Economy and Sustainable Environment (DARBE), in conjunction with the African Union Development Agency-NEPAD (AUDA-NEPAD) and other stakeholders.
Commemoration of the event was, among others, characterized by two days of lectures, discussions, sharing of innovations and new knowledge in the related areas.
Day One, 28th October 2021, discussed four different sub- themes, namely:
Sub-theme 1: “Strategic Directions for Promoting Increased Production and Processing of Nutrient-Rich African Food Crops”, Participants at the end of the deliberations, among others, recommended increased public education, and investments in indigenous foods and mainstreaming of indigenous foods in national, regional and continental polices and action plans.
Sub-theme 2: “Scaling up Innovative Technologies for Intensive Processing and Diversification of African Diets”; It was established at end of discussions that more than 200 varieties of bio fortified crops were being tested including African traditional staples such as cassava, millet and beans. However, participants called for, among others, product development of indigenous foods, using innovation in order to improve demand and market development
Sub-theme 3: “Enhanced Market Availability and Reach of Nutrient-Dense African Foods” Discussants called for the commitment of Member States to the Malabo Declaration and the Africa Regional Nutrition Strategy , as well as, investment in research of indigenous foods.
Sub-theme 4: “Creating enabling policy environment for leveraging private sector investment in local diets for transformed African food systems”. Discussants called for a multispectral approach in policy development and implementation, among others
The second day 29th October 20221 was a general plenary which was addressed by major leaders and key stakeholders in the continent:
Dr Ibrahim Assane Mayaki, Chief Executive Officer of the AUDA- NEPAD bemoaned the ceding of food production in the continent to foreign companies, even though Africa has the potential and capacity to take that lead, and called for a renewed concerted effort in the continent to help address the situation;
H.E. Ambassador Josefa L. Sako, Commissioner for Agriculture, Rural Development, Blue Economy and Sustainable Environment, - AUC, in speech read for her, called for a new approach in agriculture investment that would be based on science and research, with focus on the production of indigenous African foods to help address the problem of malnutrition in the continent.
Mr. Stanlake Samkange, Chair of the CAADP Development Partners Coordination Group (DPCG) in a keynote address opined that achieving food sufficiency and improved nutritional values in African diets through indigenous African foods would require that Member States and major stakeholders continued to get committed to the Malabo Declaration adopted by African Union Heads of State and Government in June 2014 to end hunger by 2025, thus, by adhering to the principles of the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) which is aimed at improving agriculture production in the continent by 2025.
He observed that the emergence of COVID-19 and the recommendation for healthy diet as one of the best ways to survive the pandemic makes the quest for improved healthy indigenous diets more relevant in the continent.
For Detailed information and video, go to the following links; (Copy and paste link on url)
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Deliberations on sub -themes; 28th October, 2021
https://zoom.us/rec/share/Hb3IVIbw2SKcmjIesO3u5dSdOb5RVgGKdBXWnEe9rBOJ9XzGS103W0AAFG7vqmAB.qXZyWv5LoHUfSFW2
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Deliberations at Plenary; 29th October, 2021.
https://zoom.us/rec/share/W0hrOAsrr7st9x5zEYX1CW67RIVGkqIF4qAUUza7_xxKEM3oJWVXGumzmCqx3Mw9.MidnH5cfulyf9Z4Q
Passcode: @Y9AyzzY
For further information please contact:
Dr Simplice Nouala; Head of Division, Agriculture and Food Safety (AUC) - NoualaS@africa-union.org
For media inquiry:
Mr. Molalet Tsedeke, Information and Communication Directorate | African Union Commission
Tel: ++251911630631 | E-mail: Molalett@africa-union.org | Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Information and Communication Directorate, African Union Commission I E-mail: DIC@africa-union.org
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