31 October 2011: The second annual Africa Food and Nutrition Security Day was convened on 31 October 2011 under the theme “Investing in Intra-African Trade for Food and Nutrition Security.” Celebrations took place in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, with delegates noting that a multi sectoral approach is needed to achieve food and nutrition security.

Participants included representatives from the Agriculture Ministry of Ethiopia, the Government of Malawi, the EU, the Africa Rice Center, NGOs, UN Agencies, the African Union Commission (AUC), the New Partnership for Africa’s development (NEPAD) and the African Union (AU) member States. participants heard presentations highlighting that widespread malnutrition and hunger still exists, with five million children dying annually and 240 million Africans continuing to suffer from malnutrition.

Delegates called for measures to improve food and nutrition security on the continent including: increasing the volume of high-value and nutritious foods; promoting national and regional markets and cross-border trade; and enhancing regional and local emergency response and capacity to deal with crises.

Jean Ping, AU Chairperson, recalled that the Day was launched in Malawi in 2010 during the Conference of the African Ministers of Agriculture by the President of Malawi Bingu wa Mutharika. He underscored that President Mutharika’s vision of attaining food security on the continent within five years could be attained through the Comprehensive African Agricultural Development Programme (CAADP). He lamented that food and nutrition security remains low on development agendas and consequently is poorly funded.

Recommendations from the celebrations included increasing budget allocations dedicated to nutrition interventions within the Agriculture Investment Plans and other key sector plans, formulating short term contingency plans in addition to long term planning to prevent and mitigate crises, improving infrastructure and supporting small scale farmers to optimize productivity. [AU/NEPAD Press Release] [Jean Ping’s Speech] [NEPAD Press Release, 31 October] [NEPAD webpage for Day]