Stakeholders embark on the African Union Theme for 2022 on Nutrition

CAPE TOWN: “Nutrition is vital to social, financial and general improvement of our continent and thus it’s a precedence in key insurance policies and methods on the African Union.

The Regional Economic Communities are inspired to benefit from the 2022 AU theme of the 12 months on diet and meals safety to extend accountability amongst members states within the areas of diet and meals safety with a view to advance human capital improvement,” stated Dr Margaret Agama-Anyetei, Acting Director, Health and Humanitarian Affairs Directorate on the African Union Commission.

The phrases had been stated this week at a two-day consultative dialogue in Johannesburg, South Africa 25 – 26 April, when the African Union Commission (AUC), African Union Development Agency – The New Partnership for Africa’s Development (AUDA-NEPAD), the Africa Early Childhood Network (AfECN) and different stakeholders engaged on human capital and Early Childhood Development convened with the Regional Economic Communities (RECs) on the Year of Nutrition.

The assembly was organized in opposition to the backdrop of the endorsed African Union 12 months of diet underneath the theme “Strengthening Resilience in Nutrition and Food Security on African Continent: Strengthening Agri-Food Systems, Health and Social Protection Systems for Acceleration of Human, Social and Economic Capital Development”.

According to organisers, the consultative dialogue offered a platform to change and share experiences and good practices for eliminating malnutrition in all its kinds.

Moreover, the dialogue aimed to help the efforts of African nations by means of the investments in early childhood improvement among the many Regional Economic Communities and key companions at regional and nationwide ranges.

According to the World Health Organization’s Nurturing Care Framework for Early Childhood Development, early childhood is a essential stage in human life the place investments in a toddler’s well being and diet play a major function, significantly in growing the kid’s mind, forming a strong basis for future life.

The first 1,000 days of life (from conception to the kid’s second birthday) lay the muse for optimum well being, development and neurodevelopment. However, in Africa and plenty of different nations globally, poverty, malnutrition, poor well being, battle, drought, and different challenges deprive kids of this necessary human proper. This misplaced potential impacts the social financial and human capital improvement, impacting African communities’ well being, wealth, and financial prosperity.

To deal with these challenges, kids and their caregivers want a spread of inputs and help throughout this essential stage of improvement, together with good well being care and sufficient diet, a stimulating and protected setting, and emotional help and care.

“Nutrition is the bedrock of all that we’re and aspire to be. We have Agenda 2063 and the Malabo Declaration to information us. We ought to, subsequently, by 2025, be transferring the needle on early childhood diet,” acknowledged Bibi Giyose, AUDA-NEPAD’s Senior Advisor, Food and Nutrition Security.

The African Union Cost of Hunger in Africa Study (COHA) underscores the necessity to enhance funding in diet as a result of African nations are shedding round 1.9 to 16.5 p.c of their Gross Domestic Products resulting from baby undernutrition. The AU has taken key steps to enhance meals safety and diet and remove starvation in Africa by 2025.

These coverage suggestions are offered within the African Regional Nutrition Strategy (ARNS 2016-2025) and the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) and its Malabo Declaration (2014).

The representatives from the Regional Economic Communities (RECs) and stakeholders, agreed that the early years have to be given due consideration inside all regional insurance policies, plans, programmes, campaigns and reviews as these years are a essential basis upon which a wholesome, well-nourished and affluent Africa will probably be constructed.

Through this consultative dialogue, precedence actionable options at regional financial group ranges to deal with early childhood improvement with a deal with combating malnutrition had been recognized.

In addition, a joint roadmap for the implementation of achievable actions and actions was developed.