By Baboloki Semele

 
Although the African region seems to have witnessed a decrease in malnutrition of its population by about 13.5%, from 35.5% in 1990 to 22% in 2019, more work still needs to be done to improve nutrition and food security in the continent. This words were echoed by Botswana’s Minister of Health, Edwin Gorataone Dikoloti when launching the African Union year of nutrition in Botswana last week. In particular, Minister Dikoloti highlighted Agenda 2063 goal number three which emphasizes the importance of healthy and well-nourished citizens, synchronizing it with the UN Sustainable Development Goal Number 3 on good health and wellness. The African Union has declared 2022 as the Year of Nutrition under the theme “Strengthening Resilience in Nutrition and Food Security on the African Continent: Strengthening Agro-Food Systems, Health and Social Protection Systems for the Acceleration of Human, Social and Economic Capital Development.”

According to Dikoloti, this theme is appropriate and fitting, as it seeks, not only to celebrate the gains made in nutrition; and focus the continent on maintaining stronger political momentum on nutrition, but also challenges member states to earnestly contribute towards ending all forms of malnutrition in Africa. 

“This can be achieved through new pledges and resolves to support, resource and finance action plans dedicated to achieving set targets and results by all AU member states which include our beautiful Botswana.” Adds the minister.
 

In her welcoming remarks, the permanent secretary in the ministry of health Grace Muzila, took a trip down memory lane, and recalled the commitment made seven years ago by the global community, to end hunger, food insecurity and all forms of malnutrition by 2030. She pointed that evidence shows, however, that nearly 828 million people across the globe were affected by hunger in 2021, an increase by 150 million since 2019. Should these trends continue, she pointed that the world will not achieve Zero Hunger by 2030, as intended. She therefore called Africa to double her efforts, not only in ensuring food sufficiency, but also by committing to improving the nutritional status of her people, particularly women and children. Subsequent to that, she further presented evidence as presented in the continental nutrition accountability scorecard launched by the African Union and the Africa leaders for Nutrition (ALN) in 2019, which indicates that globally, 150.8 million children under five years are stunted, and 58.7 million of those stunted are in Africa. The report also specified that only seven member states have stunting rates below 19%, while fifteen member states have child wasting prevalence below 5%. The report further shows thirty eight member states have women’s anaemia prevalence of more than 30%, whereas only 18 member states have at least 50% of infants exclusively breastfed. 
 

For her part Mrs Cisse Mariama Mohammed, the director for health, humanitarian affairs and social development at the African Union Commission pointed that Botswana has demonstrate its leadership by aligning her national food and nutrition strategies to those of the African Union. She emphasized that over the years Botswana has exhibited an admirably remarkable programmatic budgetary commitment to food security and good nutrition for her citizens. 
 

“This can clearly be seen from an investment in social protection programmes such as the home grown school feeding, which is fully funded from domestic resources.” Said director Mohammed. 
 

On other issues director Mohammed noted that despite progress made by Africa in addressing food and nutrition challenges, the continent continues to experience key challenges such as climate change and disasters, including droughts and floods, conflicts and high cost of living and the recent recovery from Covid 19, which has affected food security and nutrition negatively. These challenges, she says if not addressed will continue to undermine the progress made in nutrition and food security, leading to adverse political, social and economic development issues. Post launch of the AU year of nutrition, delegates toured the home grown school feeding projects at Ben Them Primary School and Naledi Senior Secondary. The initiative has since been rolled out to all schools from Primary to senior secondary school across the country, with 100% domestic funding. ###