WEBINAR COVID-19 emergency response: the African nutrition perspectives

1 June 2020. Webinar. COVID-19 emergency response: the African nutrition perspectives. 

Given the unprecedented nature of the crisis, it is empirical to create a better understanding of the potential impacts of COVID-19 and take rapid collective action to pre-empt its impact on food security and food systems through engagements with different scientific professional bodies such as the Africa Nutrition Society (ANS). 

Therefore, FAO RAF in collaboration African Nutrition Society jointly organised this webinar to provide a platform for experts to share evidence and views on how to enhance better food system and improve nutritional health among Africans despite the COVID-19.

The general objective of the webinar was to contribute to the improvement of food systems in the face of the COVID pandemic and to address the emerging issues of food insecurity in Africa.

Specifically, the webinar:

• Discussed the medium and long term impact of COVID-19 on food poverty; nutrition and food systems in Africa and to deliberate on the key contributing factors
• Assessed the challenges faced by the emergency response on food systems;
• Discussed opportunities for transforming the food systems and improve nutrition during the current and future pandemics.
• Discussed measures put in place for social protection and COVID-19 response in Africa, especially in rural areas, and to share experience of integrated best practices, and approaches.
• Discussed research opportunities related to nutrition and COVID-19 and how they can be adapted to address the impact of COVID-19 in Africa.

Speakers:

1. Moderator: Frank Hayford, lecturer University of Ghana
2. Prof. J. Alfredo Martínez (see picture) President of the International Union of Nutritional Sciences (IUNS), University of Zaragoza, Zaragoza, Spain
3. Dr Amos Laar President of the African Nutrition Society, Ghana
4. Dr Mphumuzi Sukati, FAO RAF Senior Nutrition and Food Systems Officer, Ghana ( Msc Biology/Chemistry from the University of Swaziland; Bachelor of Veterinary Science (BVSc) from the University of Zimbabwe; and Member of the South African Veterinary Association; MSc (Food Economics and Marketing) from the University of Reading (UK) and; PhD (Economics) from the University of Nottingham (UK).
5. Prof. Paul Amuna, (see picture). Dean of the School of Public Health, University of Health and Allied Sciences, Ghana. He has been involved in training and capacity building in four United Kingdom (UK) Universities and worked as an external expert in a number of institutions in Europe, Africa and The Middle East.
   
   
   
6. Ms. Isatou Jallow, (see picture). Executive Director National Nutrition Agency, Banjul, Gambia
   
7. Prof. Linley Chiwona Kharltun,  Associate Professor and research fellow in the Rural Development Division. Research, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU), Sweden
   
   
   

Respondents:

1. Dr. Victor Owino, Nutrition Specialist with the International Atomic Energy Agency, Kenya/Austria
2. Prof. Alan Jackson, Professor of Radiology Imaging Science and Biomedical Engineering The Medical School Manchester, UK 
3. Mrs. Julia Tagwireyi (see picture), Independent Consultant with over 40 years experience in Food and Nutrition Policy, Planning and Advocacy. Zimbabwe
4. Mr. Modou Cheyassin Phall, Executive Director of the National Nutrition Agency in Gambia
5. Dr. Habiba Hassan-Wassef, health and nutrition policy consultant, Egypt
   "It takes a pandemic for African to look inwards"
6. Prof. Francis Zotor, Trustee and President at African Nutrition Society, Ghana

Upcoming event: 

5th Annual Agriculture, Nutrition and Health (ANH) Academy Week

30 June - 2 July. Research conference

23 - 25 June. Leaning labs

• Following positive responses to organise the ANH Academy Week in an online format.
• This year’s Academy Week will bring together a community of researchers, practitioners and policymakers from across the world working at the intersection of agriculture, nutrition and health to foster knowledge exchange, innovation and learning, touching on COVID-19's impacts on our shared work.
• See: the preliminary programme for the virtual #ANH2020.
• Registration is now open and participation will be FREE for all attendees. Some sessions may have a limited number of seats - Learning Labs in particular.