1. Akoto Osei, Heifer International
The African Union Policy Environment Toward Enabling Action for Nutrition in Africa
Akoto Osei,
Heifer International

2. Changing Policy Environment
MDG to SDG
Equity and inclusiveness
Evidence based solutions
Emphasis on results and impact
A more holistic approach
Emphasis on First 1,000 days of life
Poverty and hunger driven agenda
Need for increased resources

3. What defines enabling environment for nutrition?
Gillespie S, et al: Lancet 2013; 382: 552–69:
A call for more research of what defines enabling environments for nutrition
Consensus on these factors :
Politics and Governance
Knowledge and Evidence
Capacity and Resources

4. Politics and Governance – AU’s Commitment and Leadership
Increasing political commitment & leadership on nutrition

5. Politics and Governance – AU’s Strategies & Policies
Aspiration 1: A Prosperous Africa, based on Inclusive Growth & Sustainable Development.
Goal 1: “A high standard of living, quality of life and wellbeing for All citizens”
Goal 3: “A healthy and well- nourished citizens”
Goal 5: “Modern agriculture for increased production, productivity & value addition”

6. Politics and Governance – AU’s Strategies & Policies
Targets of Aspiration 1 includes:
Reduce proportion of the population who suffer from hunger by at least 80%
Reduce stunting in children to 10% and underweight to 5%.

7. Politics and Governance – AU’s Strategies Policies
2014 Declared as Year of Agriculture, Food Security and Nutrition
January 2014: AU Adoption of a Common Africa Position (CAP) on the post development agenda (SDG);
June 2014: Malabo Declaration on Accelerated Agricultural Growth and Transformation for Shared Prosperity and Improved Livelihood;

8. The Malabo Declaration
Investment Finance in Agriculture
Recommitment to the CAADP Process
Resilience & risk management
Ending Hunger by 2025
Markets & regional trade
Agriculture for 50% of Africa’s poverty reduction
Mutual Accountability

9. Politics and Governance – AU’s Frameworks
Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP)
Results by 2025:
tangible impact of agriculture on socio- economic wellbeing of Africans – wealth creation; poverty alleviation; food & nutrition security; productive safety nets; and ecosystems and social system resilience.

10. Politics and Governance – AU’s Strategies Policies
June 2014: Declaration on Nutrition Security for inclusive economic Growth and Sustainable Development in Africa
End Hunger by 2025
Reduce child stunting to 10% and underweight to 5% by 2025 and in particular, focusing on the first 1000 Days as the only window of opportunity

11. June 2015: Endorsed Africa’s Regional Nutrition Strategy (ARNS)
Similar targets as the WHA65.6
Emphasize the scaling up of the nutrition specific and nutrition sensitive interventions
Stress multi-sector collaboration for better nutrition

12. Politics and Governance –Advocacy & Coordination
July 2010: Endorsed October 30th of each year as Africa’s Day for Food and Nutrition Security
January 2014 endorsed His Majesty King Letsie III of the Kingdom of Lesotho as the Africa’s Nutrition Champion
January 2016: Endorsed March 1 of each year as Africa’s Day for School Feeding

13. Politics and Governance – Advocacy & Coordination
African Task Force on Food and Nutrition Development (ATFFND)
CAADP Partnership Platform
PACA Partnership Platform
Continental SPS Committee
ReSAKSS
AU’s active role in other nutrition & agriculture events

14. Knowledge and Evidence for Nutrition – AU’s Activities
Cost of Hunger in Africa Studies

15. Knowledge and Evidence for Nutrition – AU’s Activities
Sustaining CAADP Momentum Exercise, undertaken in
AU-EU Pan-African Research Programme on Agriculture, Nutrition and Food Security - Ongoing
NEPAD-FAO led food and nutrition information and knowledge sharing platform - Ongoing

16. Capacity and Resources for Nutrition
Limited capacity for nutrition (in-service & pre- service)
Existing nutrition degree programs in West Africa

17. Moving forward
More actions to sustain the current political commitments & momentum on nutrition
Actions needed to translate the nutrition policies to concrete programs – i.e. scale up both the direct and indirect interventions
Continue to include nutrition activities in the Action Plans of CAADP and other Frameworks
Increase resources, including specific funding allocation for nutrition within budgets of AU and other RECs

18. Moving forward Strengthen nutrition capacity across Africa
Strengthen data systems and information flow
Coordination and harmonization
Much needs to be done on obesity, overweight and nutrition related non-communicable diseases