The annual Africa Day commemoration convened by the African Union Development Agency-NEPAD, was held on a high note. It saw the participation of representatives from partner organisations, including Africa No Filter and the Small Enterprise Development Agency, business incubators and entrepreneurs, university students and faculty members from around the continent, as well as the media fraternity.

Hosted on 24 May 2022, the event brought together participants from around the continent and beyond to create greater awareness of the work undertaken by AUDA-NEPAD under this year’s theme on Nutrition and Food Security.

Entrepreneurs and business incubators working in food security, nutrition and agro-food systems showcased their work in the nutrition and food security space. Through the videos they shared, they highlighted their role in reducing food and nutrition insecurity in the continent, empower small scale farmers and support women entrepreneurs.

Speaking on behalf of the CEO of AUDA-NEPAD, Ms Nardos Bekele-Thomas, the Chief of Staff, Ms Jennifer Chiriga highlighted that as we celebrate Africa Day, we must continue to stand united as we rally for adequate food and nutrition across our continent.

‘If we all work in tandem, we shall begin to gain an advantage on reducing malnutrition. In this regard, partnerships are key.  No single institution can alone overcome the hunger and malnutrition challenges in Africa. One year is not enough to eradicate hunger and malnutrition, I therefore put forward that every year should be a year of addressing Nutrition and Food Security,” said Ms Chiriga.

The 2022 African Union theme of the year is “Strengthening resilience in nutrition and food security on the African continent: Strengthening agro food systems, health and social protection systems for the acceleration of human, social and economic capital development.” It is under this auspice that the AUDA-NEPAD commemorated this Africa Day focusing on businesses within the Nutrition and Food Security sector. 

The founder of Changing Narratives Africa, Ndidi Nunweli spoke on the need to brand Africa’s indigenous food to address Africa’s food insecurity challenges and in essence to foster ‘smart partnerships’ with global partners to ensure that Africa’s narrative is changed to benefit the Continent.

“We must ensure that our farmers are not excluded in global conversations on re-generative agriculture,” she said.

Africa Day continues to be celebrated both in Africa and around the world on 25 May as an annual commemoration of the formation of the Organisation of African Unity whose objective was the manifestation of the pan-African vision for an Africa that was united, free and in control of its own destiny. Noting this objective, nutrition and food security in the continent remains a pertinent area of focus if the continent is to be in control of its own destiny as enshrined in the founding documents of the OAU. 

‘If we as the women of this nation are not healing and feeding this nation, then surely we are all part of a dying nation” lamented the South African poet, songwriter and musician Ntsiki Mazwai during her performance at the event. 

As AUDA-NEPAD commemorates Africa Day, it remains cognisant to the realities of food insecurity in the continent. Statistics outlined by FAO, UNICEF and Africa Union indicate that in 2020, 281.6 million Africans were estimated to be undernourished, representing an increase of 89.1 million since 2014. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, many more people have been plunged into food insecurity and malnutrition. The Cost of Hunger in Africa (COHA) studies conducted in 24 countries since 2010 indicate that Member States are losing anywhere from 2-17 percent of their annual GDP due to child undernutrition.  It is due to these realities, that the AUDA-NEPAD Food and Nutrition Security Programme is spearheading projects such as the ‘Investment in Early Childhood Nutrition”, ‘Home-grown school feeding” and many more which focus on increasing resilience in nutrition and food security in Africa.

The Executive Director of Africa No Filter, Ms Moky Makura spoke on the need to change the perceptions around Africa being a ‘hungry, dependent continent with food systems that cannot sustain it’.

“We need more stories that show the progress and the dynamics despite the challenges. We must show a different lens of food in Africa,” said Ms Makura.

So, as we address the challenges faced by the continent, we must also tell the good stories, especially as we commemorate this historic day.

The AUDA-NEPAD recognises the commitment of the founders of the OAU to rid the continent of the vestiges of colonisation and apartheid; promote unity and solidarity amongst African States; coordinate and intensify cooperation for development; safeguard the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Member States and promote international cooperation. With a similar commitment from different stakeholders within the continent and beyond, Africa will attain these objectives and will also reach greater heights through its Agenda 2063 vision of a peaceful and prosperous continent.