THE Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) is calling for bold investments to address the challenging nutritional burden in Africa.
FAO director-general Qu Dongyu said this at a high-level side event at the 38th African Union Summit in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, hosted by King Letsie III of Lesotho recently.
The event aimed at finding a common position to address malnutrition in Africa, where 298 million people or one out of five, faced hunger in 2023.
According to the latest State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World Report, 924,8 million Africans could not afford a healthy diet, 63,1 million young children were stunted and 10,2 million children were overweight.
Furthermore, 123,9 million adults were obese, and 122,7 million women aged between 15 and 49 years of age were affected by anaemia.
“We need to work together to address the root causes of malnutrition, including poverty, lack of access to healthy foods and inadequate healthcare systems,” Qu said.
He welcomed African Development Bank’s support, particularly its nutrition smart investment portfolios in agriculture and health.
“As we move forward, it is essential that we prioritise investments in nutrition-sensitive agriculture, social protection programmes and healthcare systems that can help us to reach the most vulnerable populations,” Qu added.
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“We must also work to create an enabling environment that supports the growth of local food systems, improves access to healthy foods and promotes sustainable agricultural practices.”
