CAADP Shows Great Promise In War Against Malnutrition In Africa

> Thandisizwe Mgudlwa

"The Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) is having a positive impact on food and nutrition security in countries that are implementing it," according to the just released 2015 Annual Trends and Outlook Report (ATOR).

The ATOR, was released on Tuesday, this week, by the Regional Strategic Analysis and Knowledge Support System (ReSAKSS).

ReSAKSS, is a program facilitated by the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), during the opening of the 2016 ReSAKSS Annual Conference in Accra, organized by IFPRI in partnership with the African Union Commission.

Notably, the 2015 ATOR examines the current status of nutrition in Africa, including progress in meeting the 2014 AU Malabo nutrition targets, and highlights the importance of dietary quality and diversity. 

It further stresses the importance of strengthening capacities for nutrition mainstreaming, monitoring and evaluation.

It has stated that, “Undernourishment is lowest among countries that have adopted the CAADP process,” and that, “The rates of reduction in undernourishment are faster in CAADP countries especially those that have been in the process the longest and those that have gone through most of the stages of the process.”

Officially opening the 2016 ReSAKSS annual conference, AUC Commissioner for Rural Economy and Agriculture, Tumusiime Rhoda Peace, represented by Dr. Janet Edeme, Acting Director for the Department of Rural Economy and Agriculture (DREA), said achieving a nutrition revolution would require informed plans and investments coupled with leadership for effective implementation.

“The complexity and multi-sectorality of nutrition demand for better coordination of interventions in order to make real and effective impact. By investing in a nutrition revolution, we are reducing malnutrition at all levels of the population including children and women, as spelt out in Africa’s Agenda 2063,” she said.

“Improving food security is not only about making sure people are consuming adequate calories, but ensuring that diets provide adequate nutrients for the healthy growth and development of Africa’s children and the health and wellbeing of all people,” said Ousmane Badiane, IFPRI Director for Africa.

“This report shows that policymakers must not only monitor nutrition outcomes but set ambitious targets and design appropriate strategies to achieve these. The first step to reducing poverty and promoting economic growth in Africa is to reduce hunger and malnutrition which rob the continent of its human resource potential.”

According to IFPRI, more key findings of the report include, 

Statistics and trends indicate a need for more concerted effort in tackling a triple burden of malnutrition in Africa that includes reducing under-nutrition, micronutrient deficiencies, and overweight and obesity.

And, "the potential nutritional impact of existing food policies (including agricultural subsidies) should be reviewed, and reforms should be initiated for those policies that are likely to have adverse effects on people’s dietary quality and body weight."

Essentially, comprehensive monitoring and evaluation systems, complete with key nutrition indicators and contextualized evidence, are needed to evaluate the impact of comprehensive investment plans on nutrition and attainment of the international, continental, and national commitments for growth, development, and nutrition.

Overall, "the analysis of CAADP indicators shows that countries that have been in the CAADP process the longest and those that have gone through most of the levels of the CAADP process have tended to register better outcomes in most of the indicators reviewed, thus highlighting the positive impact of CAADP.'

"It is essential to harness the potential for science, technology, and innovation to reduce postharvest losses and food waste; promote product diversification with nutritious foods; improve processing to extend shelf life and make healthy foods easier to prepare; and improve storage and preservation to retain nutritional value, ensure food safety, and extend seasonal availability," the study adds.