Ethiopia, AU Launch 2022 Nutrition, Food Security Program

July 9, 2022

BY HAILE DEMEKE  

ADDIS ABABA – The government of Ethiopia and African Union (AU) Commission have jointly launched the 2022 African Year of Nutrition and Food Security in Ethiopia.

During the launching ceremony on Thursday, Ethiopian Health Minister Lia Tadesse (MD) said that the program is timely and such joint launch would catalyse the national-level commitment to food and nutrition and exchange.

It was learnt that the program has been launched under the theme: “Utilize the 2022 Africa Union Year of Nutrition to show-case the Seqota Declaration and galvanize continental efforts in expanding successful government efforts towards ending stunting in Africa.”

While much progress have been done in Africa to tackle malnutrition in all its forms, the global nutrition report indicates that malnutrition rates across Africa remain unacceptably high children aged 0 to 5 years suffering from stunting. Women are particularly at risk across Africa, with more than 40percent of women of reproductive age suffering from anaemia.

The minister noted that Ethiopia showed strong commitment by releasing a joint position statement by Ministry of Agriculture and Ministry of Health in support of Africa Year of Nutrition and Food security implementation.

The government of Ethiopia reaffirmed that the theme will have a catalytic effect on its commitment to addressing and nutrition insecurity as one of the priority development areas for the country.

Following the declaration, Ethiopia has been working with AU commission to develop the roadmap and implementation plan where two activities incorporated to advance the Seqota Declaration commitment, Lia said.

Commissioner for Health Humanitarian and Social Development Ambassador Minata Samate said on the occasion that, the seqota declaration is the clear demonstration of the commitment of the Ethiopian government to end stunting and malnutrition. These bold initiatives prioritize high-level action to address malnutrition across the African continent and will drive increased political momentum for nutrition nationally and regionally in Africa.

Africa Year of Nutrition and Food Security 2022 has reaffirmed the commitment of African countries to advance their nutrition goals, and this followed with a clear investment from domestic budgets and alignment of investors behind these country-defined priorities.

The minister has call upon the stakeholders, development partners, donors and others to sustain the technical and financial supports for the successfulness of the strategy.

Sharing the government of Ethiopia commitment to food and nutrition strategy and food system transformation and related experiences; show case of the Seqota declaration innovation phase, learning and to catalyse the implementation of the expansion Phase among government sectors and development partners.

Ethiopian Health State Minister .Dereje Duguma (MD) on his part said that Ethiopia as a founding member of the AU is fully committed for the operationalization of the Heads of States declaration for 2022 Africa Year of Nutrition and Food Security.

“Seqota Declaration is one of the 22 game changing solutions in the Ethiopian Food system Transformation roadmap and we have successfully completed the Seqota Declaration Innovation Phase and currently have embarked on the expansion phase which extends from 2021-2025, in 240 woredas.”

Accordingly Ethiopia has proposed two activities to be part of the implementation one is leveraging the Africa year of nutrition through sharing document government innovations and initiatives for ending malnutrition and organizing continental events on sharing on successful experiences of government efforts towards ending malnutrition such as the Seqota Declaration of Ethiopia and examples from other countries.

Ethiopia has taken important policies, strategies and programs towards reducing poverty, food insecurity and malnutrition.These policies and strategies are aligned to the global and regional policies and strategies and contribute towards AU nutrition programs, he said.

The Ethiopian Herald July 9/2022