Transforming Africa’s food future: Policy changes for healthier food systems

28 March 2024. Transforming Africa’s food future: Policy changes for healthier food systems

Food environments and consumption in Africa are rapidly changing. Obesity and overweight are now increasing at a rapid pace alongside existing problems of malnutrition. This comes with many challenges for population health. It is predicted that by 2030, non-communicable diseases will be the leading cause of death on the continent. This must be addressed proactively through an all-of-society approach to create and sustain healthier food systems for all.

There is an internationally recognized set of food and health policies that aim to tackle the many forms of malnutrition and improve population health. Their implementation in Africa is relatively new but we can learn much from the experience of trail-blazing countries that are already starting to implement such policies. This webinar will illuminate some of the key challenges and opportunities of food-systems policy change in Africa, through the experiences of research teams that are currently generating new evidence and advocating for policy change in Kenya, Nigeria and South Africa.

Host:  Greg Hallen, team leader, Climate-Resilient Food Systems, IDRC

Speakers: Dr. Semnen Osakue, African representative for CHOICES International, Nigeria
Sameera Mohamedy, senior researcher in health law and policy, PRICELESS, South Africa
Shukri Mohamed, associate research scientist, African Population and Health Research Center, Kenya
Kate Robertson, lawyer, public health law and policies, World Health Organization

Read the article and brief on policy changes for healthier food systems in Africa.

IDRC (2024) Transforming food systems through policy change. Policy brief bundle # 2 p.

• There is increasing evidence for the need to develop effective ‘double-duty policy bundles’ (DDPBs), which can enable more nutritious diets and effectively tackle under- and over-nutrition. 
• To achieve food systems change, DDPBs integrate nutrition- and healthsensitive policies within broader strategies (e.g. environmental and agricultural policies).