FOURTH SESSION OF THE AFRICAN UNION CONFERENCE OF MINISTERS OF HEALTH ADDIS ABABA, ETHIOPIA 4 8 MAY 2009

Transcription

1 AFRICAN UNION UNION AFRICAINE UNIÃO AFRICANA Addis Ababa, ETHIOPIA P. O. Box 3243 Tele: Fax: Website: FOURTH SESSION OF THE AFRICAN UNION CONFERENCE OF MINISTERS OF HEALTH ADDIS ABABA, ETHIOPIA 4 8 MAY 2009 CAMH/EXP/7(IV) Theme: Universal Access to Quality Health Services: Improve Maternal, Neonatal and Child Health EXPERTS MEETING 4 6 May 2009 REPORT OF THE 1 ST MEETING OF THE AFRICAN TASK FORCE ON FOOD AND NUTRITION DEVELOPMENT

2 Page 1 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Background and Justification The African Task Force on Food and Nutrition Development (TFFND) was established in 1987 by OAU, WHO, FAO and UNICEF. Its main objective was to advocate to and sensitize Africa s policy-makers on the role of food and nutrition security as basic input in socio-economic development of the continent. By 1995, the efforts of ATFFND indicated an improvement in nutrition status, especially children under five years of age. However, socio-economic factors beyond the control of ATFFND, led to its (ATFFND) demise by the late 1990s. The Second Session of the Conference of AU Ministers of Health (2005) adopted a Revised African Regional Nutrition Strategy (ARNS) The Ministers recommended that ARNS should be a framework by which Member States can use to develop their own National Plans of Action on Nutrition; and that ARNS should constantly be reviewed and strengthened so that new information can be incorporated periodically in order to address emerging nutrition issues. (For example, increasing cases of hunger and famine, high food prices which lead to vulnerable groups not having access to adequate food supplies; civil conflicts and their contribution to food shortage, droughts, floods, deforestation, etc.) It was within this context that AU resolved to reactivate ATFFND. The Terms of Reference for the new ATFFND were drafted and presented to the Technical Meeting on 5 November The Members of the Technical Committee included representatives of FAO, UNICEF, WFP, UNECA and AU. The Terms of Reference were discussed and amendments made. The Technical Committee agreed on the main objective of the new ARFFND as: to assist African Union Member States in implementing the ARNS and achieving food and nutrition-related MDGs for optimum health and development of all Africa s population throughout their life cycles. The first meeting of the ATFFND took place on February 2009 at the AU Conference Centre. The main purpose was to discuss the Report of the Technical Meeting of 5 November In this regard, Members of the ATFFND made presentations on different aspects of food and nutrition security, namely: i. Food Security (FAO) ii. Obstacles to Access to Food by all (WFP) iii. Status of Nutrition among Children and Vulnerable Groups (UNICEF) iv. Investment in Agriculture for food Security (UNECA) v. Challenges in Implementing Nutrition Programme at Country Level (WHO) vi. Challenges in Implementing ARNS ( ) (AU) vii. Management of Agricultural Resources in Rural Africa (AU Rural Economy and Agriculture Department presentation by NEPAD) viii. Resource Mobilization (GAINA and ADB)

3 Page 2 After discussions, several recommendations were made most importantly was the role of AU and partners on how to implement tasks on the way forward with time lines of ARFFND. i. There is need to include nutrition education in all programmes on food and nutrition security. ii. It is necessary to conduct research, collect data and statistics on nutrition and disseminate the information as much as possible; iii. The media has an important role to play in advocating for production of food and cultivation; iv. Need to identify appropriate fora to advocate for food and nutrition security. v. Infrastructure and market development are important elements in devising nutrition programmes; vi. Interventions on improving food production and nutrition should start at community level; vii. It is necessary to make a cost benefit assessment of all existing declarations, decisions and prioritize actions which need to be implemented; viii. There is need to adopt home-grown solutions to combat malnutrition by utilizing what already exist in our countries; ix. Identify and provide safety nets for urban poor, the marginalized and vulnerable groups; x. There is need to analyze the impact of diseases such as HIV/AIDS, Malaria, and others, on food production and nutrition; xi. Member States should provide land and at least 10% of their budget for production of food and agriculture; xii. There is need to use and promote traditional commodities and positive culture on food practice and preservation; xiii. There is need to follow holistic systems approach to nutrition, and food production.

4 Page 3 AFRICAN UNION UNION AFRICAINE UNIÃO AFRICANA 1 ST MEETING OF THE AFRICAN TASK FORCE ON FOOD AND NUTRITION DEVELOPMENT (ATFFND) ADDIS ABABA, ETHIOPIA FEBRUARY 2009 REPORT OF PROCEEDINGS 1 ST MEETING OF THE AFRICAN TASK FORCE ON FOOD AND NUTRITION DEVELOPMENT (ATFFND) ADDIS ABABA, ETHIOPIA FEBRUARY 2009 INTRODUCTION 1. The 1 st African Task Force on Food and Nutrition Development was held at the AU Commission Conference Centre, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia on February It was established in 1987 by the OAU, WHO, UNICEF and FAO. The main objective of ATFFND was to advocate for and sensitize Africa s policy-makers on the role of food and nutrition security as a basic input in socio-economic development of the continent. 2. At the 2 nd Session of the Conference of AU Ministers of Health in Gaborone, Botswana, in October 2005 which adopted the Revised African Regional Nutrition Strategy (2005), it was recommended that the Revised ARNS be used as a guide for the development and/or implementation of National Plans of Action on Nutrition (NPANs) and that the ARNS be constantly reviewed and strengthened so that new developments can be incorporated if and when necessary. Objectives of the 1 st African Task Force on Food and Nutrition Development 3. The objective of re-activating the African Task Force on Food and Nutrition Development is to assist African Union Member States in implementing the African

5 Page 4 Regional Nutrition Strategy ( ) and achieving food and nutrition related MDGs for optimum health and development of all Africa s Population throughout their life cycle. 4. The Specific Objectives include the following: i. To lobby and sensitise Africa s policy-makers about the essential role of Food and Nutrition Security for socio-economic development at household, community and national levels. ii. iii. iv. To support Member States to formulate their own national plans/strategies of nutrition. To work with RECs and other Regional Organizations to strengthen or establish social affairs desks with Food and Nutrition as a major component. To establish a network of sharing Food and Nutrition information on a regular basis. v. To develop a progress report on the implementation of the ARNS Plan of Action by Member States and submit it to AU Summit on a regular basis. vi. vii. viii. To support the establishment of a network of Africa s NGOs and CSOs that work with communities on food and nutrition issues. To liase with relevant Universities in Africa on the promotion of research aimed at improving the status of Food and Nutrition Security on the continent. To develop a Mechanism for Monitoring, Evaluation and Reporting on the Implementation of ARNS Plan of Action by Member States. PARTICIPANTS 5. The Meeting was attended by Representatives of the following Regional Economic Organizations, UN Agencies, and other International Organizations,: SADC, ECCAS, COMESA, EAC, WHO, WFP, FAO, UNICEF, UNECA, Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN), Save the Children Alliance - Africa, African Development Bank, Development Bank of Southern Africa, African Union Commission: NEPAD Secretariat and the AU Commission (concerned Departments). OPENING SESSION 6. The Opening Session was chaired by the Acting Director for Social Affairs, who welcomed participants to Addis Ababa. She thanked them for taking time off their busy

6 Page 5 schedules to attend this important meeting of the African Task Force on Nutrition and Development. 7. The Opening Remarks were delivered by the Representative of the AU Commissioner for Social Affairs. She explained that the importance of the Meeting was indicated by the fact that it coincided with the commemoration of the 1 st Africa Healthy lifestyles Day (27 February 2009). The challenges related to food insecurity and malnutrition in Africa were reiterated. It was noted that the role of Nutrition in the socioeconomic development of communities and the nation as a whole was acknowledged by the African Union leaders who endorsed the ARNS in 2005 as a framework for African countries to develop and/or implement appropriate strategies at national/regional level. Adoption of the Agenda 8. The Agenda and Programme of Work were adopted with minor amendments. SUMMARY OF TECHNICAL DISCUSSIONS Session I: Presentation of TERMS OF REFERENCE (TOR) for ATFFND 9. The AUC representative gave a brief history of the first ATFNND ( ) whose implementation was constrained due to structural adjustment programmes in Member States and restructuring and budget difficulties at the then OAU. Now due to the new leadership that looks at health holistically, it has been acknowledged that food and nutrition security are basic to health, hence it may not be possible to achieve the targets of health related MDGs without access to food and nutrition security by all. It was in this context that the TOR for re-activating ATFFND were drafted for consideration and adoption. The main objective of the revised ATFFND will be to advocate to and sensitize Africa s Leaders of mainstreaming of food and nutrition security in the national development plans. Session II: Presentations on the Current Status of Food and Nutrition in Africa 10. The meeting heard presentations from the following partners: WFP, UNICEF, UNECA, FAO, WHO, GAIN, SADC, ECCAS and AU Commission. (i) Food Security in Africa (FAO) 11. Reductions in hunger and malnutrition are proceeding too slowly to meet the Millennium Development Goal (MDG) target for halving hunger by The reasons for the slow progress towards nutritional security for all people are complex and multifaceted. Although present global food supplies are more than adequate to provide everyone with all the needed calories, if the food were equally distributed, over 900 million people in developing countries have calorie-deficient diets. Even if a person

7 Page 6 consumes a sufficient quantity of food in terms of calories, this does not guarantee an adequate intake of the quality of food in terms of proteins, fats and essential micronutrients vitamins, minerals and trace elements. Also, micronutrient malnutrition, also known as hidden hunger, has serious public health consequences. 12. FAO hosted the UN High Level Summit on World Food Security, Rome 3-5 June 2008 at which the media revealed TV pictures of starving Africa. It was both sad and shameful for us to see once again a repeat of what has become all too familiar. FAO s Director General said at the High-Level Meeting on Food Security for All, Madrid January 2009, that there was real concern of a humanitarian crisis arising. Throughout Africa, the large majority of the poor remain dependent on the agricultural sector for their livelihoods. Agriculture remains the main engine for economic growth throughout the region. Therefore accelerated and sustained improvements in Africa s food and agriculture sector are thus indispensable for achieving food-security and improved nutritional status. 13. Volatile food prices and food shortages are no surprise to Africa. Africa has been cushioned against the full pain of hunger by food aid and significant donor funding of food imports. In non-conflict African countries, production has grown faster than population peace is clearly critical for agricultural output. However rural investment in Africa is extremely low. For example Africa is at India s 1950s road density level; only 4% of available water in Africa is used for farming much of it to non-food crops, whereas Asia is at 40%; fertiliser use in Africa is at about 9kg/hectare, OECD at 125kg, East Asia around 250kg. Thus Africa is locked into low-input/low-output subsistence farming. 14. Significant progress has been made over the past five years in developing continent-wide policy frameworks and strategic plans to reduce hunger and improve nutrition in sub-saharan Africa. Yet hunger and malnutrition persist. Indeed, nutritional status in Africa is stagnant or declining, made worse by increasing poverty and inequality. Sub-Saharan Africa is the only region of the world in which the number of people living in extreme poverty has increased, almost doubling between 1981 and Africa s urgently needs to go beyond adopting declarations and commitments to implementing them. Africa must urgently boost production and productivity to levels exceeding population growth rate. We need to slow population growth, reduce conflicts; ensure strong government support for rural infrastructure and agriculture, create conditions attractive to serious private capital, protect local products from unfair competition by subsidised imports, invest in renewing University and vocational education for agriculture. 15. In support of efforts to achieve the MDGs, in 2002 FAO with the support of IFAD and WFP, launched the twin track approach for combating hunger and poverty. The first track is strengthening the productivity and incomes of farmers, and the second track is to provide direct and immediate access to food by hungry people and social safety nets including food transfers, conditional and unconditional cash transfers and public

8 Page 7 work programmes. FAO looks forward to being involved in this ATFFND and will actively support partners in building organizational capacity and supporting the incorporation of food and nutrition security concerns into development frameworks and for targeting assistance to smallholders and the vulnerable. A healthy agricultural sector can provide an employment buffer in times of economic crisis, especially in poorer countries. Reinvestment in pro-poor nutrition focused agriculture using a reinvigorated twin track approach for agricultural development. 16. Finally FAO also noted there is no global agreement on the severity and determinants of nutrition and food security problems. There are in fact several and uncoordinated and poorly integrated initiatives providing food security and nutrition analyses that can be hardly compared across time and across space. This seriously hinders decision making processes on food security and nutrition policies and programmes. A process of harmonization is thus necessary provided that this process is undertaken on a partnership basis to build on existing initiatives and ensure full ownership by all stakeholders. (ii) Obstacles to Access to Food by All (WFP) 17. Access to food for all implies economic and physical access to food that provides adequate nutrition for a healthy productive live and in a form that is culturally acceptable. Unfortunately, over 300 million people in Sub Sahara Africa consume less than 2100 calories per day, and do not enjoy the this basic right of access to adequate food. The Key challenges to access to food in Africa: Poverty (low income and asset base) High disease burden (HIV and AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria, nutritional disorders Poor national socio-economic development( poor infrastructure and safety nets to make food accessible to vulnerable groups,) Natural disasters (droughts, floods etc) and man-made disasters (conflicts High in food prices Reduction in dietary diversification and the shunning indigenous dietary food habits, in preference to imported dietary habits) Low agricultural productivity (climate change, land degradation) Access to food not viewed as a basic human right by most countries. 18. Any efforts to improve access to food should support uphold the dignity of the people affected in a manner that enables them to eventually do it for themselves. A partnership that includes the following communities affected, Governments, Civil society, Private sector, and Development partners, should be involved in addressing this basic right. WFP its ready to play its part in improving access to food in Africa. Its current corporate strategy reflects the changing nature of WFP s from a food aid agency to an agency that supports countries to address critical challenges in securing food and nutrition security. The WFP strategy encompasses a range of interventions that seek not only to treat the symptoms of hunger in emergency situations, but also to help in addressing the underlying causes of hunger, under-nutrition and food insecurity.

9 Page 8 (iii) Status of Nutrition among Children and Vulnerable Groups (UNICEF) 19. The recent Lancet series on child and maternal under-nutrition has shown that about 35% of child mortality worldwide is attributable to under-nutrition, while a group of effective nutrition interventions including breastfeeding, complementary feeding, Vitamin A and zinc could save 2.4 million each year (nearly 25% of the 10 million underfive deaths. At the same time, there is overwhelming evidence suggesting that nutrition is not only an issue of child survival but it is also important for: (i) physical growth; (ii) behavioural development and cognitive function; (iii) school attendance and performance; (iv) ultimate income-generating capacity and economic development; and (v) risk of non-communicable diseases. It is clear that child mortality as well as undernutrition rates vary considerably by socio-economic states; these are significantly higher among the lowest wealth quintiles than the highest wealth quintiles hence, the importance of ensuring that the key nutrition and health services are especially targeted to children and women that are difficult to reach and the poor. 20. Unfortunately, nutrition has been grossly neglected in Africa, there has been limited national commitment in support of scale-up core high-impact nutrition interventions. This is reflected by the very limited progress made so far towards MDG 1 in Africa; only 9 countries are on track to meet the MDG1 target (to reduce hunger and malnutrition underweight, by half by 2015). Furthermore improving maternal nutrition on a sustainable basis leads to health children. Access to food and nutrition security by children at all times will result in a productive adult population essential for accelerated socio-economic development of Africa. 21. Control of selected priority micronutrients deficiencies through supplementation, fortification and promotion of diversified diets (Vitamin A, iodine, iron folic acid and zinc) have been found to promote health status of children. There is data showing that countries in Africa are making progress to on some core nutrition interventions, e.g. to deliver full coverage of Vitamin A supplements to children 6-59 moths, estimated at 70% for Africa according to UNICEF 2008 global databaessential requirements of successful USI programmes including (1) high-level political commitment reflected by evidencebased national policy, legislation and standards, allocation of sufficient resources consumer education. 22. As a whole, many countries in Africa are facing challenges in nutrition: (1) difficulties in national scale-up of core nutrition interventions; (2) their ultimate success. With regards to the former, the main challenges include (a) placing malnutrition prevention and control at the centre stage or high in the national development agenda; (b) having in place adequate human resources base at the key national and sub-

10 Page 9 national levels, and across the sectors (e.g. Agriculture, Health, Education, social Welfare; Community and Gender Development; Economic and Industrial Development); 23. In conclusion, it is clear that adequate nutrition is essential for child survival, physical growth and development, and future economic capacity, hence directly relevant for achieving MDGs. Key nutrition interventions are available to reduce malnutrition and related complications: including improved maternal nutrition during pregnancy; protection, promotion and support of breastfeeding; timely introduction, responsive feeding of adequate amounts and high quality complementary foods; selected priority micronutrients deficiency control. (iv) Investment in Agriculture for Food Security (UNECA) 24. It is well documented that most countries in Africa are devoting less than 10% of their budgets to agriculture, this despite the commitments made in Maputo towards CAAPD processes. The result is that we still have low agricultural productivity because of low use of fertilizer and other modern inputs, low adaptation of technology, and uncoordinated strategies to manage water, land and other resources that impact on agricultural productivity. In addition, there are emerging challenges such as climate change, the food price inflation of 2008, the financial repression which started towards the end of 2007 and heighted in 2008, the interactions between energy markets and agricultural markets, and now the interaction between energy, agriculture, and financial markets which is predicted to continue in the long run. 25. The UNECA s approach to dealing with these problems is exemplified by the importance it gives to food security and sustainable development. Currently, Food Security and Sustainable Development (FSSD) is the largest of all its sub-programmes. The sub-programme is supporting the CAADP processes through the development of regionally integrated value chains for strategic agricultural commodities. The Economic Report for Africa (ERA) for 2009 which will be launched at the forthcoming conference of ministers is addressing the issue of developing agriculture through regionally integrated value chains. Basically, the key problem in terms of the agenda of the African Task Force on Food and Nutrition Development is how Africa can increase intra-africa trade in food commodities, and also how food processing and coordinated management of food value chains would go a long way in increasing productivity and quality of produced food products. Hence, coordinated efforts in developing food markets along regional value chains could eliminate some of the problems related to food security. 26. The FSSD is also promoting public-private partnership in agro-industry and agribusiness in Africa. This will attract investment in an area that has been neglected for many decades. Agro-industry development also represents an opportunity for investment and in the context of ERA, 2009; it is an investment gap that must be addressed when developing regionally integrated value chains for strategic commodities. The FSSD is also promoting sustainable modernization of agriculture and rural transformation as one way of increasing agricultural production and natural resource management. The FSSD is also initiating projects related to Climate and

11 Page 10 Development in Africa and has successfully partnered with AUC, ADB and others on Land Policy Initiative for Africa. WHO: Challenges in Implementing Nutrition Programmes at Country Level 27. In order to address malnutrition problems affecting Africa, the African leaders have developed the ARNS. The document first version was meant to be implemented from 1993 to 2003 and should contribute in the attainment of the MDGs. However, with the emergence of new issues such as recurrent man-made disasters and natural hazard, the need of the revision of the ARNS arose. Thus the ARNS was elaborated taking into account the new concerns. Although ARNS has been endorsed and supported by African Member States and international institutions, it is worth to highlight that its implementation has been facing challenges at regional, country and community level slowing its roll out. 28. Some of these challenges are: At Regional level Inadequate human and financial resources; Insufficient joint projects and coordination amongst nutrition stakeholders and linkages with other relevant sectors such as health, WASH strengthening nutrition desk at sub-regional bodies; Inadequate technical support to countries. At country level Nutrition is struggling to be one of priority areas and at the central point of development programmes; Insufficient support from government to the implementation of nutrition and food policies, strategies and activities; Inadequate health service availability or access. At Community level High diseases burden with limited access to health services; Recurrent man-made or natural hazards leading to loss of crops and livelihood assets; Insufficient empowerment of community on nutrition projects; Increasing production of export crops Urban poor, loss of good traditional nutritional habits, market depend for food with limited purchase power. 29. In short, all these challenges have been impeding Africa to achieve its nutrition objectives and beyond attaining the MDGs. AU Commission: Challenges in the implementation of ARNS ( ).

12 Page The representative of AU gave a brief history and context of the first ARNS ( ), its objectives and challenges in its implementation. One of the biggest challenges was that Africa s policymakers had, for several decades, left food and nutrition on the periphery of planning for socio-economic development. Additionally most of the investment in agriculture was targeted towards cash crop economy and very little towards food security. Nevertheless due to intensive collaborative advocacy efforts between OAU and partners and in particular, WHO, UNICEF and FAO, Africa s Leaders took up the call by early 1990s and began to mainstream food and nutrition development into the circle of priorities for development. 31. By 1995, there was evidence of gradual improvement in nutrition status, especially of children under five years, on the continent. This was due to the fact that most Member States had used the ARNS ( ) as a template to device their own national plans of nutrition/food policy papers. However due to the stagnation or declination of most African economies, compounded by the Breton Woods institutions emphasis on structural adjustment programmes for Africa, countries cut their budgets. The first budget lines to be cut were those affecting social welfare activities including food and nutrition, education and health. Such measures negatively impacted on the status of nutrition. To make matters worse, restructuring fever at OAU and the cutting of budgets due to most members being in arrears, sidelined efforts to follow up on the implementation national nutritional plans of action. 32. It was in the early 2000 that the idea of revising ARNS gathered momentum due mainly to new leadership for the social programmes of the AU. The result was a revised ARNS ( ) which was then adopted by the Conference of AU Ministers of Health (CAMH3) which met in October 2003 in Gaborone, Botswana. The ministers, while adopting the ARNS, reiterated that the document should be dynamic and not rigid as the first ARNS. Periodically, ARNS should be revisited and new ideas incorporated into it in order to be relevant to emerging issues related to food and nutrition. Additionally, ARNS ( ) should be promoted as a template from which Member States can develop their own national nutrition programmes. 33. Consequently, the main challenge will continue to be mobilization of resources necessary for Member States to implement ARNS at community and national levels. Other challenges include the increasing rate of diseases related to hunger malnutrition and nutrition deficiencies. Furthermore the impacts of climate change, conflicts and competing demands for available agricultural land is already becoming a major constraint in producing adequate food supplies in most Member States. 34. Such challenges must be tackled if improvement in socio-economic development of the continent is to be achieved. It is therefore in this context that re-activation of ATFFND is essential. One of its main goals will be coordination between AU and partners in order to sustain advocacy to policy makers to mainstream food and nutrition development to the centre of planning for national development; and to support Member States in mobilizing resources for the implementation of national nutrition programmes.

13 Page 12 Management of Agricultural Resources in Rural Africa (AU Rural Economy and Agriculture Department and NEPAD, represented by NEPAD) 35. In 2003, CAADP was adopted as the framework for Africa s agricultural renewal (improved Productivity and Production). Out of the recognition by African leaders that hunger, food insecurity and malnutrition continued to be major problems, they sought to focus on addressing those in line with MDG1. To this end, they agreed to establish a Food and Nutrition Security Programme Position under CAADP Pillar 3 (Pillar 3 Focuses on reducing hunger and improving nutrition). The objectives of CAADP: Attain food security; Improve agricultural productivity to attain a 6 percent annual growth rate; Develop dynamic regional and sub-regional agricultural markets; Integrate farmers into a market economy; and Achieve a more equitable distribution of wealth. 36. CAADP is a strategic framework to guide country development efforts and partnerships in the agricultural sector. CAADP directs investment to four mutually reinforcing and interlinked pillars: Pillar I: Extending the area under sustainable land management and reliable water control systems; Pillar II: Improving rural infrastructure and trade-related capacities for market access; Pillar III: Increasing food supply, reducing hunger and improving responses to food emergency crises; and Pillar IV: Improving agriculture research, technology dissemination and adoption. 37. In December 2006, AU-NEPAD Convened the Abuja Food Security Summit. At the same time, the Brazzaville Technical Meeting on the ARNS convened. Out of the Abuja Food Security Summit, several frameworks and strategies were developed and finalized. These include: a) The Pan African Nutrition Initiative (PANI) b) The Africa Ten Year Strategy for the reduction of Vitamin and Mineral deficiencies (ATYs) c) The Framework for African Food Security (FAFs). 38. In addition, the other CAADP frameworks these have been shared and are to be officially launched later this year (2009). To support the implementation of these key food of nutrition security documents, AU-NEPAD has embarked on capacity building activities in several RECs. 39. Running Themes from the Discussion on the Presentations:

14 Page 13 I. Education and behaviour change are essential to achieving food and nutrition security at all levels of society. II. III. IV. Information, Emergency Preparedness and Response, Evidence based research that is relevant useable and used, surveillance. Building Consensus data, national priorities and approach to food and nutrition. Increasing Production of a variety of food. Using Media as part of the tools for Advocacy and identifying champions of food and nutrition even at community level. Resource Mobilization Global Alliance for Improving Nutrition (GAIN). 40. The main objective of Global Alliance on Improving Nutrition (GAIN), is the fight against micronutrients using market forces. This depends heavily on the partnerships between the private sector, Governments and CSOs. Currently Gain has 22 projects in 10 African countries. Currently GAINs invest more in Africa and always looks for ways in which to assist various partners on the continent. African Development Bank (ADB) 41. The First meeting of ATFFND is an opportune moment for ADB to look for ways in investing in food production on the continent. Such an opportunity will be done within the context of developing infrastructure for regional integration. 42. After the deliberations, the following recommendations were made: xiv. xv. xvi. xvii. xviii. xix. xx. There is need to include nutrition education in all programmes on food and nutrition security. It is necessary to conduct research, collect data and statistics on nutrition and disseminate the information as much as possible; The media has an important role to play in advocating for production of food and cultivation; Need to identify appropriate fora to advocate for food and nutrition security. Infrastructure and market development are important elements in devising nutrition programmes; Interventions on improving food production and nutrition should start at community level; It is necessary to make a cost benefit assessment of all existing declarations, decisions and prioritize actions which need to be implemented;

15 Page 14 xxi. xxii. xxiii. xxiv. xxv. xxvi. There is need to adopt home-grown solutions to combat malnutrition by utilizing what already exist in our countries; Identify and provide safety nets for urban poor, the marginalized and vulnerable groups; There is need to analyze the impact of diseases such as HIV/AIDS, Malaria, and others, on food production and nutrition; Member States should provide land and at least 10% of their budget for production of food and agriculture; There is need to use and promote traditional commodities and positive culture on food practice and preservation; There is need to follow holistic systems approach to nutrition, and food production. Session III: Way Forward in Implementation of ARNS ( ) Role of Partners 43. Action Points of the ATFFND Work Plan Team (i) Harmonization and integration of ARNS with other existing nutrition instruments, policy frameworks e.g. NEPAD s and FAO s). The outcome of such integration should be owned by AU. Action Points: Concept Note for the integration to be drafted by UNICEF by mid-march It will then be circulated to Members of ATFFND by third week of March 2009 for comments. Inputs and comments from ATFFND Members and comments from ATFFND members before end of March ATFFND secretariat to compile the report incorporating the comments. (ii) A brief progress report on the status of food and nutrition in Africa, using existing data sources, to be presented to the July AU Summit. Action point: a. AUC to collaborate with UNICEF in facilitating consultation with FAO, WHO and other members of the ATFFND (0 draft by 1 st week of April (iii) Strengthen the capacity of ATFFND Secretariat Action point: Hire a technical support person

16 Page 15 Develop TOR (FAO to provide a template of existing TOR of their consultant (iv) Presentation and consideration of the outcomes of the 1 st meeting, including the TOR ATFFND a. Action point: b. Draft report ready by 1 st week of March 09 AU (v) Celebration of the African Nutrition Day a. Sharing related documentation to the ATFFND Secretariat by FAO in order to brief the Commissioner. Since the Nutrition Day is being sponsored by the H.E President Museveni, it is essential that the Commissioner gets the report of the Kampala meeting on Food and Nutrition by FAO so that she can be able to brief the AUC Chairperson as soon as possible. Once the briefing is done the AUC will send a Note Verbale to Member States informing them of the Nutrition Day and when it will be launched. AU suggested that such an important event be launched during the July 2009 Summit in order for it to have maximum support and press coverage. (vi) ATFFND members to communicate within their agencies about the outcomes of the 1 st meeting of the a. Action point: All members of the ATFFND take responsibility in making sure that communication between members and ATFFNd secretariat at AUC is done on time. Nomination of 2 NGOs/CSOs for Membership of ATFFND 44. The NGOs and CSOs have to be requested to nominate the two representatives to the ATFFND. Consultation on this issue will continue between the AU, UNICEF, WHO and FAO. Any Other Business 45. No issues were raised under this Agenda Item.

17 Page 16 Date and Venue of next meeting 46. During discussion of this Item, it was decided that the next meeting be held in August However if a status report on nutrition in Africa has to be presented to the July 2009 Summit, then it may be necessary for ATFFND to meet before the Summit to review the status Report and possibly prepare for the launching of Africa Nutrition Day. 47. CLOSING SESSION 48. The Closing Session was chaired by Mrs. Akila Balembaogo, Head of the UNICF Liaison Office to the AU. (i) Remarks by Mr. Duncan SAMIKWA, SADC Representative spoke on behalf of RECs and other partners. 49. Mr. Samikwa thanked the Organizers for calling for the Task force Meeting to revitalize the ARNS. He commended the participants for their contributions. He implored the partners to assist Member States to implement the ARNS. He concluded by pledging the commitment of partners to play their role in implementing the ARNS, particularly since we are halfway to the target of (ii) Remarks by the Representative of the AU Commission 50. After thanking the Chairperson of the Session, the AU Representative commended all delegates for their contributions to the success of the Meeting. She urged the participants to own the process, network regularly, play their respective roles, and implement the agreed actions. She reminded the participants of the 1 st Africa Healthy Lifestyles Day (27 February 2009), which is very relevant to the Nutrition Strategy, and important to all individuals and communities. (iii) Concluding Remarks by Ms. Akila Belembaogo, Head of UNICEF Liaison Office to the AU & UNECA 51. She thanked the AU commission for selecting UNICEF to chair the session, which reviewed and adopted the TOR and the main recommendations for the way forward. She noted UNICEF s commitment to the work of the Task Force, the reason for the high level delegation. She noted the engaging, lively and constructive comments on the TOR of the task force as well as recommendations on the way forward. She concurred with the recommendation that a concrete workplan with clear roles, responsibilities and timelines will be important to operationalize the agreed TOR of the ATFFND and main recommendations. She also indicated that it would be paramount for a core team of participants including representations from key partners - FAO, WFP, WHO, UNICEF, the RECS, NEPAD, among others, led by the AU, to suggest the workplan for this year. In conclusion, Ms. Belembaogo recommended that the AU remains the lead to move this important agenda forward. She stated that UNICEF remains committed to staying fully engaged behind the AU's efforts to revitalize the

18 Page 17 ATFFND, and to continue to work with NEPAD and key partners, so as to add value to ongoing efforts at the country level to accelerate progress on nutrition and to achieve the MDGs. 52. The meeting then adjourned.