Africa: Facing Human Security Challenges in the 21st Century

Chapter 4 - Food and Nutrition Security

81 Chapter 4 Food and Nutrition Security Overview Food and nutrition insecurity is an urgent public health issue for Africans because of high rates of poverty; the effects of global climate change and environmental pollution on traditional food systems and high rates of diet-related diseases. However, to date, public health has operated with conceptualizations of food security that were developed in non-African contexts; they do not take full account of the traditional food practices of African people or their conceptualizations of food security. This chapter argues that there are unique food security considerations for Africans related to the harvesting, sharing and consumption of country or traditional foods, which impact the four pillars of food security: access, availability, supply and utilization. Thus food security conceptualizations, policies, and programs for African people must consider both the market food system and traditional food systems. Given the centrality of traditional food practices to cultural health and survival, this chapter proposes that cultural food security is an additional level of food security beyond individual, household and community levels. Conceptualizations of food security for Africa will be incomplete without qualitative research to understand their perspectives; such research must take account of the diversity of African people. Introduction Food security is a broad issue that impacts world populations. It is important to consider that a universal fix is somewhat impossible; food security has to be established on a local basis. Research, education, and considerations of sustainability and cultural issues are all integral parts of the food security problem. In 2012, the United States leveraged its presidency of the G-8 to deepen the 82 global commitment to food security through the establishment of the New Alliance for Food Security and Nutrition. At the G-8 Summit hosted by President Obama at Camp David, African heads of state, corporate leaders and G-8 members pledged to partner through the New Alliance and, working with the African Union and Grow Africa, lift 50 million people out of poverty in sub-Saharan Africa by 2022. Development partners, African governments, and international and local private companies committed to specific policy reforms and investments that will accelerate the implementation of country food security strategies under the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Program, and sustain inclusive agriculture-led economic growth. By partnering with the private sector during its first year, the New Alliance has already leveraged more than $3.7 billion in private investment in African agriculture. The New Alliance has also expanded over its first year. G-8 leaders this year welcomed the addition of Benin, Malawi, and Nigeria to the New Alliance, joining existing members Burkina Faso, Cote d’Ivoire, Ethiopia, Ghana, Mozambique and Tanzania who have negotiated rigorous Country Cooperation Frameworks for accelerating investment that include policy reforms, private investment intentions, and donor commitments to align predictable assistance flows behind recipient country priorities. The U.S. government, in collaboration with civil society and other partners, has been a strong advocate for nutrition, particularly during the critical 1,000 days from a woman’s pregnancy to her child’s second birthday, when better nutrition can have a lifelong impact on a child’s future and help break the cycle of poverty. U.S. commitments to nutrition extend beyond the New Alliance for Food Security and Nutrition to encompass Feed the Future, the Global Health Initiative, and food aid programs. Over the last year, Feed the Future reached than 12 million children through nutrition programs that have reduced anemia, supported community gardens, fostered fortification, and treated acute malnutrition. Working on the ground in nineteen countries, Feed the Future has helped 7 million farmers adopt improved technologies or management practices, increasing yields and improving livelihoods. 83 The U.S. government announced at the UK’s Nutrition for Growth event on June 8th that we have nearly doubled nutrition funding and tripled agriculture funding since 2008, including providing $1 billion for nutrition-specific interventions and nearly $9 billion for nutrition-sensitive activities over fiscal years 2012-2014. U.S. investments are expected to accelerate trends in stunting reduction, and our goal is to reduce stunting by 20 percent over five years in the areas where Feed the Future works, translating into 2 million fewer stunted children. U.S. efforts also support the World Health Assembly goal to reduce childhood stunting by 40 percent by 2025. The concern of the U.S. government derives from the fact that more than 30 million...