University of Pretoria ’s Post

🚨With 6 years & 6 harvests left to achieve #SDG2, Africa's worsening food insecurity and unequal access to healthy diets dims hopes for achieving #ZeroHunger. The Post-Malabo roadmap must help accelerate efforts to end #malnutrition. Read findings of the #SOFI2024 and recommendations on how to finance a food secure future for all▶️ https://bit.ly/3WDL4eI #GoodFood4All | FAO | International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) | UNICEF | World Health Organization | African Development Bank Group | African Food Changemakers

Teff is a great source of energy, calcium & dietary fiber.  Cultivated in Ethiopia and Eritrea, it's disease & pest-tolerant, & helps control soil erosion. It's time to rediscover Africa's #ForgottenCrops & their potential to transform agrifood systems👉https://lnkd.in/dvh6w-4b

KEY MESSAGES • A diverse diet is important for health and well-being, contributing to lower malnutrition, including micronutrient deficiency diseases (hidden hunger), as well as underweight, overweight, and associated ill health like low immune system function and non-communicable diseases. It is highlighted under Rwanda’s draft Strategic Plan for Agricultural Transformation (PSTA-5) (2024 to 2030). • Improving the production and consumption of tree fruits as part of local food system improvements across Rwanda can contribute to dietary diversification, while also delivering other benefits such as improved well-being, enhanced soil and landscape quality, and improved property values for households. • The government should consider both supply and demand side activities as part of a plan to support the promotion of fruit tree production and consumption, for example by a) raising awareness among different individuals and groups of the benefits growing fruit trees, b) boosting domestic demand for fruit through various methods, and c) providing technical assistance on growing, harvesting, handling, and storage of fruit.

Did You Know? #Zambia, #Zimbabwe, and #Namibia are currently facing severe drought conditions, which are hitting nutrition and food security the hardest. Watching Larry Madowo’s recent news clip on Namibia’s efforts to combat the resulting hunger is a stark reminder that we need to elevate the role of nutrition and #FoodSecurity in building #ClimateResilience. The media is a crucial ally in this effort. It is essential to communicate three key points - that: 1. #ClimateChange is driving widespread hunger and malnutrition. 2. Good #nutrition isn't just a necessity; it’s one of the most powerful tools we have for building climate resilience. 3. Addressing these challenges requires activating multiple systems - food, agriculture, and nutrition - to not just save lives but enable communities to thrive. Thank you, Larry, for highlighting stories that truly matter. Let's continue raising awareness and advocating for solutions. Together, we can make a difference! #NutritionSecurity | #MediaForGood | #AfricanAgriculture | IITA

Injeera culture :) crop-human-culture-environment interrelationships are precious.

This #WorldAntimicrobialAawarenessWeek, under the theme "Educate. Advocate. Act," HealthyDiets4Africa is spotlighting a #LivingLab partner in #Nigeria, tackling antibiotic resistance in the meat value chain! From cattle herders to butchers to meat processors, Dr.Ibikunle Mark Akanbi, a vet by profession, is raising awareness about the dangers of #antibiotic #overuse. Not only does misuse create resistant animals, but drug residues in meat also threatens #foodsafetyquality, and #publichealth. Healthy diets start with safe food! Thanks to International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), HD4A’s consortium partner in Ibadan, Nigeria, for leading this impactful work. #WAAW2024 #AMR #FoodSafety #FoodSafetyQuality #HealthyDietsForAfrica #Nutrition #FoodSecurity

How do you cure hunger? According to Dr. Cedric Habiyaremye, one quinoa grain at a time. In Dr. Habiyaremye's viral TEDX Talk, "How quinoa can help combat hunger and malnutrition," he recounts his journey from a Rwandan refugee camp to becoming a leading agricultural scientist and sustainability entrepreneur. Growing up amidst the tragedy of the Rwandan genocide, Cedric experienced the harsh realities of hunger and food insecurity firsthand. Living in a refugee camp, food was scarce and survival was a daily struggle. Driven by his own experiences and a desire to make a difference, Cedric pursued higher education in the United States, where he discovered the potential of quinoa as a solution to food insecurity. Recognizing the nutritional value and adaptability of quinoa, Dr. Habiyaremye and his research team introduced the crop to Rwanda, where it showed promising results in different ecological zones. Through initiatives like the Quinoa Model Farmers Program, he empowered local farmers to grow and incorporate quinoa into their diets, leading to remarkable improvements in nutrition and livelihoods. Quinoa’s ability to thrive in poor soil conditions holds tremendous potential for a range of farming environments. Cedric emphasizes that quinoa is just one of many "magic crops" that can contribute to food security and nutrition worldwide, ensuring accessible and affordable food for all. Join Grow Further on Tuesday, May 14th for a conversation with Dr. Cedric Habiyaremye about how his research and entrepreneurial initiatives are helping to create a hunger-free future. Event link and info in the comments! 🌱

An estimated 2 million children in Nigeria suffer from severe acute malnutrition (SAM), highlighting the urgent need to address this critical challenge. Limited access to nutritious food disproportionately affects vulnerable groups, including children, pregnant women, and the elderly. However, there is hope! By supporting rural farming, empowering female farmers, and investing in biofortification, we can increase access to healthy food and reduce malnutrition. Learn how our highly nutritious crops are improving nutrition and food security in Nigeria by visiting our website👉🏾https://lnkd.in/dxMaDq2Y Together, we can make a difference and ensure a healthier future for all. Photo credit:FAO #NourishingNigeria #agriculture #nigeriafarmers #gazillionexplorations #malnutricion #foodsecurity

Poshan Ki Dastak Community Based Management of Malnutrition Food insecurity and malnutrition are a serious challenge of the present times. This is the result of social, economic, political and cultural circumstances. For a comprehensive change in this situation, it is important to understand the basic causes of malnutrition and work on it. Vikas Samvad's endeavor in the Dastak initiative has been to control malnutrition through concrete initiatives through integrated and community-based management by understanding the immediate, underlying and fundamental causes of malnutrition. We are working closely with communities, especially marginalized communities, women and youth, farmers, to monitor nutrition and health practices and integrate plans related to food and nutrition security. And also to monitor local food resources such as water, farming, nutrition gardens, poultry and ecological conservation, bio-security, etc. Focus has been placed on dimensions like diversity conservation. The basic vision is that society, government and civil society organizations should work together to achieve the goal of food and nutrition security. We are sharing the story of the change brought about by this effort with you through this video. https://lnkd.in/gQPC2Ebe #vikassamvad #communication4devlopment #Nutrtion

Sudan and Somalia have some of the highest malnutrition levels ever recorded. Is unequal distribution of resources a basic cause of malnutrition? In Food and Nutrition Bulletin, Susanne Jaspars shows how political systems can create vulnerability to malnutrition. ▶ Read the open-access paper at https://lnkd.in/eSHT_P9T This is 1 in a series of 9 papers by Feinstein and FAO researchers examining the drivers of child malnutrition: https://lnkd.in/ewe7vdER