NAIROBI, Kenya Nov 11 – Lawmakers are urging a stronger focus on indigenous foods and traditional farming systems to combat food insecurity and malnutrition across Africa.
Legislators believe that promoting traditional crops and improving access to balanced diets are crucial strategies for addressing poor nutrition outcomes and enhancing the continent’s ability to sustain its populations.
Adan Yusuf Haji, the MP for Mandera West and chair of the Eastern Africa Parliamentary Alliance on Food Security and Nutrition, stressed the importance of prioritizing food production. He called for governments to allocate sufficient resources to effectively tackle malnutrition.
With the Third Global Parliamentary Summit on Hunger and Malnutrition set to take place on November 16 and 17 in Nairobi, Haji highlighted the urgent need for intervention in light of alarming global malnutrition figures. He noted that approximately 700 million people worldwide are affected by malnutrition, with one in five individuals in Africa experiencing similar challenges.
The upcoming summit aims to facilitate a platform where lawmakers can exchange experiences, strengthen partnerships, and identify key areas for parliamentary action. Haji emphasized that food security should be recognized as a critical national development priority, arguing that countries need to ensure they can adequately feed their populations.
As the first time the summit will be held in Africa, it is expected to gather parliamentarians and various stakeholders to discuss legislative and policy solutions to address hunger and malnutrition.
