The 6th Africa Day of Food and Nutrition Security kicks off in Uganda

The NEPAD Agency was represented by Senior Nutrition and Partnership Advisor Isatou Jallow © NEPAD

From 28-30 October 2015, the Africa Day for Food and Nutrition Security (ADFNS) was commemorated with continental level celebrations held in Uganda. The 6^th ADFNS gave a special focus to women under the theme “Empowering Our Women, Securing Our Food, Improving Our Nutrition”, in line with the declaration by the African Union of 2015 as the “Year of Women Empowerment and Development towards Africa’s Agenda 2063”.

The meeting kicked-off with a high-level breakfast chaired by the Prime Minister of Uganda H.E. Ruhakana Rugunda. It examined the initiatives of the African Union Commission (AUC) and the Global Panel on Agriculture and Food Systems for Nutrition in linking agriculture policies to nutrition outcomes, and stimulated discussion around key policy actions in agriculture and other sectors to improve nutrition in Africa.

Over 400 participants attended the event representing a wide range stakeholders who shared national, regional and continental experiences, knowledge and mutual learning, as well as reviewing progress in assuring food and nutrition security for all.

Building on the selected theme, the following four sub-themes represented the areas of technical and policy discussions:

• Sub-theme 1: Accelerated action toward improved maternal, adolescent and young child nutrition
• Sub-theme 2: Harnessing opportunities for production, access and consumption of nutritious, safe and diverse diets
• Sub-theme 3: Improving and promoting small holder farmers’, particularly women farmers’ capacity to access markets
• Sub-theme 4: Strengthening institutional capacities and systems, partnerships and knowledge sharing for enhanced delivery of food and nutrition security interventions

During the high-level closing event, the Uganda Minister of Gender, Labour and Social Development, Hon. Muruli Mukasar expressed the need to empower women in pursuit of food and nutrition security and African Union Commissioner for Rural Economy and Agriculture H.E. Rhoda Peace Tumusiime said, “the AU is committed to eliminating hunger and malnutrition beyond 2025, including focusing on reducing obesity in the continent.”

NEPAD Nutrition Programme Officer Kefilwe Moalosi addressed participants on the importance of integrating nutrition in the CAADP process © NEPAD

The ADFNS represents an opportunity to reflect on the progress made towards the African-owned Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP), which was endorsed by the AU Assembly in 2004. CAADP’s principal goal is to pursue an agriculture-led development agenda for reducing poverty and eradicating food insecurity and under-nutrition in Africa.Since 2010, at the 15^th Ordinary Session of the African Union Summit, the African Union announced that 30 October will be recognized each year as the ADFNS. The ADFNS provides a platform at national, regional and continental levels to share experiences, knowledge and mutual learning, as well as measure progress in assuring food and nutrition security for all by governments and multi-stakeholder partners.

The ADFNS is also in line with one of the seven commitments in the Malabo Declaration made by African Heads of State and Government in the 23rd session of the AU Summit in 2014. African Heads of State have committed to ending hunger by 2025 and reducing stunting to 10% in the same period in recognition of the importance of food and nutrition for development agenda in Africa.

Learn more at the New Partnership for Africa’s Development: NEPAD