Zero Hunger Private Sector Pledge’s Post

Nurturing West Africa's Food Future: A Local Approach In West Africa, a shift is underway towards a more resilient and sustainable food system, one that relies less on costly imports and more on locally sourced nutrition. This movement isn't just about what we eat it's about reimagining the entire food landscape. By embracing indigenous crops like cassava and promoting sustainable farming practices, communities are reducing reliance on foreign foods and supporting local farmers. Governments, civil society, and the private sector all have roles to play in fostering this change through policies, awareness campaigns, and investments. Success stories abound, from Ghana's support for smallholder farmers to Senegal's embrace of agroecology. At the grassroots level, communities are taking charge of their food futures through initiatives like community gardens and farmers' markets. Ultimately, building a sustainable food future in West Africa isn't just about feeding people, it's about building resilient communities and safeguarding cultural heritage. With determination and collaboration, we can nourish both people and planet for generations to come. #foodsustainability #foodfuture #foodsystems #westafrica #ghana

  We have embarked on a journey to reshape the cocoa farming landscape with the launch of our Nestlé Income Accelerator Programme, building upon the foundation laid by our longstanding work with the Nestlé Cocoa Plan. This innovative programme is designed to close the living income gap and mitigate socio-economic risks by incentivising positive behaviours both on the farm and within the household of cocoa farmers.   This year we are thrilled to announce the launch of our first KitKat made with cocoa mass sourced from farmer families participating in our Income Accelerator Programme 🌱 This milestone underscores our commitment to transforming global cocoa sourcing, striving for full traceability, and physical segregation of cocoa products from origin to factory. Reflecting on this journey, here are some key factors that I spoke to at the recent #futureofsustainability conference last week:   🌍 Historical inequality in cocoa farming: The cocoa farming sector has long grappled with systemic inequalities, risking the well-being of farming communities if left unaddressed 🌍 Impact of the Income Accelerator Programme: Our Programme is a game-changer, transforming the lives of cocoa-farming families and unlocking growth opportunities 🌍 Creating Shared Value in Africa: It's crucial to create an ecosystem of cocoa-growing regions in Africa to ensure sustainable development 🌍 Commitment to sustainable development: Sustainability lies at the heart of our operations.  

Africa’s food systems are at a turning point, with immense potential for growth through innovation and sustainability. By leveraging technology, empowering youth, promoting regional collaboration, and building resilient supply chains, the continent can secure a future of food security and prosperity. The time to act is now. #FoodSecurity #AfricaRising #AgricultureInnovation #SustainableDevelopment

17 DAYS OF SIMPLIFYING SDGs TO A LAYMAN: SDG2 - DAY 2 Recently, I had the honor of sitting on a panel discussing youth inclusivity in the implementation of SDGs in Namibia, organized by AYO Namibia and UNDP in Namibia . During the discussion, our moderator, Shaandre Finnies asked a thought-provoking question: "How can all of us contribute to such implementation?" This question has lingered with me, prompting deep reflection. As a Namibian Youth Leader, I’ve decided to dedicate the next 17 days to simplifying the SDGs for my LinkedIn community. I believe that at the core of implementation is the need to create awareness and empowerment through knowledge and skills transfer. By explaining the SDGs in lay terms, I am contributing to this quest. Today, we focus on SDG 2: Zero Hunger. The core element of SDG 2 is to end hunger, achieve food security, improve nutrition, and promote sustainable agriculture. This goal aims to ensure that everyone has access to sufficient and nutritious food all year round, especially the most vulnerable populations. How can we partake in implementing SDG 2 in our daily lives? 1. Support Sustainable Agriculture: Buy locally grown and organic produce to support sustainable farming practices. 2. Reduce Food Waste: Be mindful of food consumption and waste less by planning meals and properly storing food. 3. Volunteer at Food Banks: Engage with local food banks and community kitchens to help distribute food to those in need. 4. Promote Nutrition Education: Share knowledge about healthy eating habits and nutrition to improve community health. By taking these steps, we can each contribute to eradicating hunger and achieving food security, thereby supporting the successful implementation of SDG 2. Stay tuned for more insights on the remaining SDGs in the coming days! #SDGs #YouthInclusivity #ZeroHunger #Namibia #AYONamibia #UNDPNamibia #SustainableDevelopment #EmpowermentThroughKnowledge #CommunityEngagement #YouthLeadership #GlobalGoals #Awareness #SkillTransfer

together we can achieve more

🌍 World Food Day 2024: The Right to Foods for a Better Life and a Better Future 🌱 Reflecting on a year of growth and resilience, UrbanFarm Africa commemorates World Food Day with a focus on the theme, "Right to Foods for a Better Life and a Better Future." Our mission centers on ensuring access to healthy, nutritious food for all, essential for fostering stronger communities and a brighter future. 🌿 Our Impact Over the Past Year: - Hydro Coop Deployments: Installed over 140 Hydro Coops, empowering small-scale farmers with sustainable farming methods. - Empowering Women and Youth: Created 200+ jobs, with women and youth leading in climate-smart agriculture. - Food Production & Security: Contributed to over 200,000 meals served, combatting food insecurity. - Training and Capacity Building: Equipped 450+ farmers with skills in various farming practices, entrepreneurship, and climate resilience. 🚀 Looking Forward: - Expand Hydro Coop reach to 100 additional communities, focusing on areas with high food insecurity. - Strengthen alignment with South Africa’s vision for food security through new solutions for safety, climate resilience, and sustainable farming. - Focus on empowering more women, youth, and individuals with disabilities to create self-sustaining food systems and income opportunities. - Launch new training programs emphasizing food safety and nutrition to help communities thrive amidst challenges. Our belief drives us—food security is a right, not a privilege. Committed to creating a future where everyone has access to resources and knowledge for a better life and tomorrow. #WorldFoodDay #UrbanFarmAfrica #RightToFood #BetterFuture #FoodSecurity #HydroCoop #WomenEmpowerment #SustainableAgriculture #SDGs #YouthDevelopment

Food Security: Progress Through Innovation Ethiopia, represented by its President, hosted a conference with UNIDO (United Nations Industrial Development Organisation) this week in Addis Ababa. Many dignitaries attended, including Kenya's Prime Minister and over 40 senior officials from various countries, including China, Ukraine, Yemen and Sudan. The title was "A World Without Hunger" and how to achieve it. Well timed, well executed. My fellow panelists as part of the Global Leaders Debate all presented very thoughtful contributions to the discussion. Let's see the result of this timely conference. I believe the 4 "I's" are vital for food security: Innovation; Infrastructure; Integration of smallholders, and Investment. Yet the majority of Innovations offering solutions, including companies like #SustainsblePlanet growing plant protein sustainably on non-arable land using 90% less water than soybeans, seek expansion capital. There are multiple innovations today designed to massively increase scale and productivity of crops, using food waste and crop waste to, for example, create animal feed and organic fertiliser, and to replace charcoal briquettes. Mechanisation, energy, storage and arcane data capture all have new innovative new offerings. Yet these are consistently un-funded. Fragmented and disparate funding was a central complaint. The financing model of SMEs remains a failure yet it is not complicated to fix this most basically through overdrafts, accessible and widespread grants or inputs support arrannged privately or through government schemes. If we want to solve world hunger, financial support for innovators, as well as tax incentives, easy access visas and pemits and Special Economic Zones providing infrastructure to agri businesses are important. DFI's and governments take note: we won't solve world hunger without leap-frogging old approaches. Spirited African youth, discontent and disillusioned, are determined to find a better way forward, voting out or significantly reducing the power base of long term African governments with old agendas, most recently in Botswana, South Africa and Mozambique. This new generation act in order to rescue themselves and focus on the priorities actually impacting them today in the real world, like jobs, freedom of speech and anti-corruption, including misuse of public funds. The agricultural sector is still the main employer on the continent. Yet it remains largely un-(or well under)-funded. Food security is not an aspiration. It's a necessity. #UNIDO #WorldWithoutHunger #FoodSecurity #Africa #Agriculture #SustainablePlanet

 As Africa races against time to meet the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030 and the Malabo Commitments to end hunger by 2025, the continent faces formidable challenges aggravated by climate change, inflation, and regional conflicts. The urgency to reevaluate financing mechanisms is increasingly recognized, with a growing emphasis on mobilizing domestic resources and exploring innovative financing solutions to bolster agricultural development. In an event at the 10th African Regional Forum on Sustainable Development (ARFSD) held in Addis Ababa, a clarion call has been issued to policymakers to center their policies around the needs of farmers and enhance access to funding in the agricultural sector. The imperative to empower farmers and provide them with adequate financial resources is underscored as essential steps towards eradicating hunger, achieving food security, sustainable development, and realizing the broader objectives of the African Union Agenda 2063. During a session themed " Harnessing the potential of innovative financing for reinforcing CAADP implementation towards Africa free of hunger and sustainable, resilient agri-food systems," Mr. Godfrey Bahiigwag, Director of the Sustainable Environment and Blue Economy Directorate at the African Union Commission, emphasized the critical role of farmers in driving progress and development in Africa. The Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP), a cornerstone initiative of Agenda 2063, outlines ambitious targets for transforming African agriculture by 2025, including the commitment of African governments to allocate at least 10% of national budgets to agriculture and rural development. However, the participants at ARFSD stressed that there is a pressing need for concrete action to translate these commitments into tangible outcomes on the ground. Private sector engagement is identified as critical in driving investments and innovation in Africa's agri-food and nutrition sector, offering critical resources and expertise to address the complex challenges facing the agricultural landscape. “By fostering collaborative efforts and forging strategic partnerships, stakeholders can amplify the impact of CAADP, fortifying Africa's agricultural systems and advancing the goal of food security across the continent”, said Mr. Menghestab Haile, Regional Director for Southern Africa, WFP. Read full article 👉 https://lnkd.in/gpEtXx6m #ARFSD2024 #SustainableDevelopmentGoals #SDGs #Agenda2030 #Africa #Farmers #Agriculture

🔔 Driving Zero Hunger in Africa: A Strategic Management Approach to UN SDG 2 🔔 The United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 2 (SDG 2) aims to end hunger, achieve food security, improve nutrition, and promote sustainable agriculture by 2030. However, achieving this goal requires effective strategic management, especially in regions like Africa, which face significant challenges in food security and nutrition. We need to explore the importance of incorporating strategic management into the implementation of SDG 2 on the African continent. 📞 📞📞 Africa, despite its rich agricultural potential, continues to grapple with the challenge of food insecurity and malnutrition. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), over 250 million people in sub-Saharan Africa are undernourished, highlighting the urgent need for comprehensive strategies to address hunger and malnutrition. By incorporating strategic management principles into our approaches, we can drive meaningful progress towards the UN SDG 2. 📲 📲📲 We need to set clear and measurable targets, such as reducing the prevalence of undernourishment, increasing agricultural productivity, and improving food distribution systems, with a specific focus on the unique challenges faced by African countries. By aligning initiatives towards this common goal, stakeholders can streamline their activities and maximize collective impact. 🌄 🌄🌄 Including governments, regional organizations, NGOs, farmers' associations, and local communities, in decision-making processes to facilitate the identification of key challenges, opportunities, and resources, fostering ownership and collaboration. Moreover, involving local communities ensures that interventions are contextually relevant and sustainable, thereby enhancing their long-term impact. 🚠 🚠🚠 Prioritizing investments in areas with the greatest potential for impact, such as sustainable agriculture, rural infrastructure development, and nutrition programs tailored to local needs. Moreover, leveraging innovative financing mechanisms, public-private partnerships, and international cooperation can mobilize additional resources and catalyze progress towards Zero Hunger on the continent. 💨 💨💨 Strategic management emphasizes proactive identification, assessment, and mitigation of risks, such as climate change, natural disasters, conflicts, and economic instability. Therefore, developing contingency plans, diversifying interventions, and building resilience within food systems can enhance adaptive capacity and ensure continuity of efforts in the face of adversity. 🌐 Together we can make zero hunger a reality! 💪 💪💪 United Nations FAO UNIDIR — UN Institute for Disarmament Research UN University – Institute for the Advanced Study of Sustainability United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) United Nations Volunteers UN Women #UNSDG2 #ZeroHunger #StrategicManagement #WomenInStrategy #AfricaRising 🌍

🌱 The path to Nigeria's agricultural transformation and food self-sufficiency runs through our rural communities – specifically, through the hands of women farmers who have long been the backbone of our agricultural sector. As our nation faces rapid urbanization and increasing food security challenges, it is time to recognise and invest in these unsung heroes of agriculture. 💡Three key areas demand immediate attention: - Access to agricultural finance and credit facilities - Training in modern, sustainable farming practices - Active inclusion in agricultural policy-making The future of Nigeria's food security lies in empowering rural women farmers. That way, we are also investing in Nigeria's future economic growth and social development. 👉 Read more: https://bit.ly/3AEZH94 #WomenInAgriculture #FoodSecurity #RuralDevelopment #AgribusinessAfrica