AU Specialized Technical Committee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Water and Environment (ARDWE)

14-17 November 2023. Fifth Ordinary Session of the Specialized Technical Committee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Water and Environment (ARDWE).

The objective of the meeting was to review progress made in the implementation of AU and STC Decisions, provide policy guidance, and adopt reports, frameworks, Guidelines, and programmes, as well as recommendations that will be presented for consideration by the Executive Council of the African Union. It was organized by the African Union Commission through its Department of Agriculture, Rural Development, Blue Economy, and Sustainable Environment (DARBE), which is responsible for the Agriculture, Rural Development, Water and Environment thematic area.

Experts Session on Agriculture and Rural Development (14-16 Nov)

This Sectoral Session included, RED, AFSA, SAFGRAD, IAPSC and CAADP (Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme); Animal Resources (IBAR, PANVAC, PATTEC)

 

Experts Session on sustainable Environment and Blue Economy (14-16 Nov);

This Sectoral Session included: Blue Economy (Biological and Non-Biological Resources; Ocean Governance) and Sustainable Environment (Biodiversity, Forestry and Wildlife; Climate Change and Meteorology; Disaster Risk Reduction; Sustainable Land Management; Water and Environment (including Sanitation)

High Level Ministerial Session of the 5th ARDWE (17th Nov)

This meeting validated the report on the implementation of the recommendations and decisions of the 4th STC focusing on the work under the following sectors: 

1. Agriculture and Food Security 
2. Animal Resources 
3. Blue Economy 
4. Rural Development 
5. Sustainable Environment.

AU-IBAR hosted a high-level side event

At the sidelines of the STC-meeting, AU-IBAR hosted a high-level side event with ministers from 6 AU member states: Cote d’Ivoire, Burkina Faso, Uganda, Somalia, Chad and Egypt. While Ministers from 6 countries: Kenya, Nigeria, Senegal, Gambia, Zimbabwe and Tanzania sent their representatives. This event sought to engage Ministers and experts responsible for Livestock, Agriculture, Fisheries and Aquaculture to provide valuable insights into AU-IBAR's mandate, strategic direction, and ongoing programs, aligning with the broader goals of the STC-ARDWE

Background:

The Specialized Technical Committee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Water and Environment STC - ARDWE is one of the fourteen (14) STCs established by the Decision of the Twelfth Ordinary Session of the Assembly of the African Union (Assembly/AU/Dec.227 (XII)), which was held in Addis Ababa Ethiopia on 01-03 February 2009. The STC is composed of Ministers or senior officials responsible for sectors falling within its areas of competence. The Ministers approve projects and programmes submitted by the STC-ARDWE experts. They also have the duty to ensure effective supervision, follow-up and evaluation of the implementation of decisions taken by the organs of the Union and the coordination and harmonization of projects and programmers of the Union.

Assessment of the 20 top food and beverage companies in India

22 November 2023. 10:00 am CET. 14:30- 17:00 IST/New Delhi.  Multistakeholder meeting on "Transforming Markets for Better Nutrition". 

Organised by the Access to Nutrition Initiative (ATNI) and co-convened with support from Eat Right India- FSSAI, NIN, Consumer Voice and CII (TBC). During the event, ATNI launched its 2023 India Index, assessing the 20 top food and beverage companies in India on their performance to increase the accessibility of healthy foods in the Indian market.

• The 2023 iteration, with a renewed methodology, creates higher impact through not only aiming to change company behavior directly, but also through wider levers for market transformation. 
• This includes more active engagement with a wider range of stakeholders such as relevant policy makers, such as the Food Safety and Standards Association of India (FSSAI) and potentially also, for the first time, institutional investors in India.
• The India Index 2023 has the highest level (70%) of active company engagement in ATNI’s history of developing India Indexes.
• It describes industry best practices and highlights food fortification as well as innovations in the healthy food sphere.
• Leading up to the completion of the India Index, ATNI developed policy briefs to guide relevant policymakers in making informed decisions.
• After the online launch (22/11), ATNI will hold individual consultations with the 20 companies on the findings and recommendations.

Speakers:

• 
  Opening remarks and setting up the context Mr. Greg Garrett Executive Director ATNI
  
  He referred among others to the Nature study (20/11: Powerful study. Life expectancy can increase by up to 10 years following sustained shifts towards healthier diets: The largest gains are obtained from consuming more whole grains, nuts and fruits and less sugar-sweetened beverages and processed meats. Understanding the contribution of sustained dietary changes to life expectancy can provide guidance for the development of health policies.
  
  
• Keynote address: Shri. G Kamala Vardhana Rao (see picture) - CEO FSSAI Processed food: Regulatory interventions to improve healthiness of products
• Guest speech – Mr. Dhruv Sharma Principal Investment Specialist. Invest India - Recent ESG mandate in India and Nutrition in ESG reporting
• Guest Speech – Dr. Hemalatha, Director National Institute of Nutrition (NIN) Healthiness of products available in Indian Market.
• Mark Wijne, ATNI Research Director - Presenting of India Index 2023 results

Panel discussion on how to improve the business case for better nutrition

• Mr. Gaurav CHAUDHRY Founder & CEO  Earshot
  
  "Decentralisation of processing food may be an approach to be closer to the consumers' concerns" "Greater attention should be given to start-ups which are innovating"
  
  [note: see Millet: How to Create a Business Around Neglected and Underutilized Species?]
  
  
• Dr. Arlappa N. Scientist National Institute of Nutrition
• Ms. Bhuvaneshwari Balasubramanian – Country Director GAIN 
• Mr. Ashim Sanyal CEO Consumer Voice
• Ms. Jane Karkada Executive Director Confederation of Indian Industry CII
• Mr. Anand Prasad Invest India

• Closing by ATNI board member Dr. Rajan Sankar

During the debate Mr. Greg Garrett  referred to  Nutritious Foods Financing (N3F)

To reach the nutrition targets of SDG 2 on 'Zero Hunger' and ensure that all people can afford a healthy diverse diet, innovative methods of resource mobilisation that focus on nutrition and SMEs are needed. The Nutritious Foods Financing Facility – N3F – aims to address these problems through a blended finance approach that focuses on improving nutrition by supporting SMEs in Sub-Saharan Africa to scale up the production and sale of locally produced nutritious, safe foods destined for domestic markets.

Impact

Regarding the impact of this report: ATNI had an investor launch 21/11. The investor group (ATNI’s Investors in Nutrition and Health - AINH) has USD 20 trillion in assets under management (AUM). Additionally a group of these investors are going to be using their role as shareholders in the companies and conducting collaborative investor engagement with the companies, including both global and local institutional investors.

Report

ATNI (2023) India Index 2023. Full report. November 2023. #115 p. 

The findings of the 2023 India Index show that the influence of the F&B industry is growing. It has both the responsibility and the opportunity to further embed nutrition into its core business improving product offerings for consumers. Actioning the Index recommendations is critical in the current context and will facilitate F&B manufacturers to play a more vital part in addressing pressing nutrition-related concerns and ensuring that a healthy, affordable diet is available to all.

Extracts:

Between 2018 and 2022, revenue for the Indian online food delivery market has increased five-fold, from $5.01 billion to $25.12 billion (...) The growing role companies play in shaping consumers’ food environments and diets, comes with business opportunities but also responsibilities (page 9)

With increasing interest in utilizing True Cost Accounting for food systems, including as an investment screening tool,39F27 and for assisting policymakers40F28, companies with unhealthy portfolios face growing risks to their business. Companies who are instead proactive in measuring the full externalities of their products, and accordingly shifting towards a healthier portfolio, should see commercial benefits over time. (page 10)

ATNI’s Investor Expectations on Nutrition, Diets and Health is a framework used by 84 institutional investors to integrate nutrition concerns into their responsible investment approaches. (...) For the first time, in 2023 a group of investors in ATNI’s Investors in Nutrition and Health (AINH) representing USD 3.6 trillion in assets under management (AUM) have signed on to actively use the Expectations to drive company progress on nutrition in India through their stewardship practices.  (page 10)

Requiring reporting on workforce nutrition in India would ensure that the private sector invests in safe and healthy food choices at work which, in turn will feeds into higher returns over the long term by reducing the risk of poor nutrition and diet-related diseases and boosting employee productivity in the workplace.  (page 11)

Nutrition information for a total 1,901 packaged foods and beverages products sold by 20 of the largest companies in India were selected to be included in the Product Profile assessment. The sales of these companies combined accounted for an estimated over 36% of all Indian packaged food and beverage sales.  (page 14)

Of all products assessed from all companies in the India Index, 17% met the ‘healthy’ threshold, (having an HSR of 3.5 or more), corresponding to 24% companies’ combined sales in 2021. One company (Heritage) has over 50% of sales from ‘healthy’ products (52% of 44 products total).   (page 17)

Companies are encouraged to publicly disclose on an annual basis the percentage of their product portfolio that meets criteria for healthy products in India, as well as changes over time, using an internationally recognized nutrient profiling model.   (page 25)

To drive more systematic progress on improving the healthiness of their portfolios and addressing micronutrient deficiencies in India, and thereby improving consumers’ diets, companies are strongly encouraged to: (...) Produce more products which are fortified following government standards– or use fortified staple foods as ingredients – to contribute to addressing specific micronutrient deficiencies in India according to government priorities, while ensuring that there are strict internal policies and procedures in place to prevent the fortification or enrichment of less healthy products.  (page 36)

A transparent definition of processed foods, standards for High in Fats, Sugar and Salt (HFSS), and a government-endorsed Nutrient Profiling Model (NPM) would help align the sector. The government, in consultation with other stakeholders, can finalize the establishment of a clear and transparent definition of processed foods (including thresholds for salt, sugar and fat), and an NPM system. (page 47)

It is vital that companies carefully consider all aspects of their commercial business that can have positive or negative impacts for public health, and develop a cohesive strategic plan to improve its operations in relation to nutrition (i.e., a ‘nutrition strategy’). While improving the healthiness of their product portfolios is the obvious starting point, it is crucial that companies consider the sales of these products, for which pricing, marketing, and labelling are important.  (page 50)

Companies are recommended to engage with independent experts and stakeholders, such as independent public health-oriented civil society organizations, academic institutions, and (inter-)national organizations to inform their nutrition strategy. These engagements, including the impact they had on the company’s strategy, should ideally be disclosed on the public domain.  (page 58)

To improve their diet quality, lower-income consumers must therefore have access to nutritious products at affordable prices.  (...) The Indian rural market has been estimated to be worth USD 1.5 trillion,87F75 consisting of 833 million consumers typically served by smaller, traditional ‘kirana’ stores, rather than supermarkets.88F76 Evidence shows that this market is increasingly penetrated by branded products, including foods and beverages.89F77 Companies must therefore adopt innovative approaches to ensure that their healthy products are provided at an appropriate price to lower-income consumers, while also being physically accessible to them. (page 60)

It is important that companies are able to show they use a clear process to ensure that their ‘affordable nutrition’ products are actually affordable, to avoid a situation whereby it is claimed that they are ‘affordable’ without this being so. (page 64)

To ensure that products that are considered by the company to be ‘healthier’ are being priced affordably for lower-income consumers, companies are recommended to:  (...) ensure that such products are defined as ‘healthy’ through the use of a nutrient profiling model (NPM) (ideally one that is closely aligned with an internationally recognized and/or government-endorsed definition), or other clear nutrition criteria, such that less healthy products (HFSS) are specifically excluded. (page 66)

Companies are advised to commission regular third-party audits of compliance to their responsible marketing policies in India.  (page 77)

In order to support the nutrition and health of its employees, (...) develop workforce nutrition programs that include providing access to healthy food at work, nutrition education, nutrition-related health checks, and breastfeeding support, being available to all employees, including those at manufacturing sites. (page 88)

Government could ensure clear and transparent labelling guidelines are in place that incorporate the definition of highly processed foods and criteria for HFSS thresholds.  (page 97)

All companies are also recommended to include clear definitions of how it defines ‘advocacy interactions’ (for example, whether or not this includes participation in policy-related multistakeholder meetings, responding to public consultations, and any other interactions with policymakers). (page 105)

Companies are encouraged to work with their value chain partners to reduce both FLW (food loss and waste) and plastic use. This should go beyond requirements set out in mandatory waste management regulations. (page 112)

Upcoming report 19/12/2023

GAIN, IFPRI, FAO (2023) The State of Food Systems Worldwide: Counting Down to 2030. December 2023.

1. Kate Schneider & Jessica Fanzo & Lawrence Haddad & Mario Herrero & Jose Rosero Moncayo & Anna Herforth & Roseline Reman & Alejandro Guarin & Danielle Resnick & Namukolo Covic & Christophe B'en'e & And, 2023. "The State of Food Systems Worldwide: Counting Down to 2030," Papers 2303.13669, arXiv.org, revised Mar 2023.

Background

ATNI works on three levels to transform markets and achieve improved access to healthier products and diets: 

1. tools that assess the private sector on their nutrition commitments and products; 
2. policy support and alliances including through ATNI’s Investors in Nutrition and Health; 
3. and action research which underpins market change for nutrition.

A video was created as part of the second edition of the World Bank – FAO Knowledge Session series
on the nexus of food systems, nutrition, and climate change.

• Marije Boomsma, Director, Strategic Alliances & External Affairs presents how ATNI is accelerating progress to improve the affordability and accessibility of diets in a sustainable way using data-driven tools, such as country-specific indexes that incorporate environmental and nutritional indicators. 
• Annoek Van den Wijngaart highlights how ATNI’s India Index 2023 provides information on food and beverage companies to improve private sector accountability. She outlines how the Index assesses the nexus through the integration of environmental indicators such as India’s rate of greenhouse gas emissions, efforts to reduce food loss and waste and improvements to packaging.

 

Companies evaluated in the index include:

Adani Wilmar, Agro Tech Foods, Britannia Industries, Coca-Cola India, Dabur India, GCMMF AMUL, Haldiram’s Snacks Private Limited, Hatsun Agro Products, Heritage Foods, Hindustan Unilever, ITC, KMF Nandini, Lactalis India, Marico, Mondelez India Foods, Mother Dairy Fruit & Vegetables, Nestlé India, Parle Products, Patanjali Foods, and PepsiCo India.

Upcoming events

7 December 2023. Nairobi. 8:45AM- 1:30 PM EAT/ 6:45AM- 11:30AM CET. Allocating Impact Investing in Emerging Markets

During the event ATNI will present its business case for investing in nutrition and metrics for impact investors and learn from others in the impact investing space. The event brings together stakeholders with expertise on the topic including donors, development finance institutions, impact investors, Agri-SMEs, NGOs, intergovernmental organizations, health professionals and more. 

13 - 14 December 2023. 7th Annual India Food Safety & Nutrition Summit 

• This summit is the only dedicated summit in India which provides a common platform for the Food & Nutrition industry to come together to discuss the key challenges. learn from the best practices adopted across the country. India Food & Nutrition Summit is India’s the most authoritative congregation of the Food, Dairy, Nutraceuticals, Dietary Supplements and Health Foods Industry in India.

Past events

20 June 2023. Environmental, Social, Governance (ESG) is increasingly shaping corporate and investor
activity in markets around the world. However, currently nutrition lacks prominence in these frameworks, even though it is a crucial component of sustainable development and national prosperity. 

In this webinar a panel of experts discussed the opportunities and challenges of embedding nutrition within ESG, with a particular focus on opportunities for India, which is particularly exposed to the impacts of malnutrition, while being well placed to benefit from action in this area.

• Opening from Greg S. Garrett, Executive Director, ATNI
• Keynote Speaker - Dhruv Sharma, Principal Investment Specialist at Invest India
• Introductory Speaker - Joseph Martin Chazhoor Francis, Markets Leader, ESG, at PwC

• moderator Suneera Tandon, Assistant Editor at the Hindustan Times 
• Mint Vinita Bali, Chairperson for the CII National Committee on Nutrition
• Tarun Vij, India Country Director, at GAIN
• Janendra Kumar, Investment Specialist at Invest India
• Tejash Shah, Lead Analyst at Avendus Spark

 

27 September 2023. 2nd digital conference: Nutrition across the lifespan, for better health and sustainability by Friesland Campina Institute. Presentation Dr Victor Ajieroh (board member ATNI) 

 

The Nutritious Business Monitoring Tool - A new self assessment tool for SMEs

SMEs are at the frontline when it comes to supplying food to low-income groups and have the capacity to drive change in food consumption patterns at a rapid pace – e.g., SMEs are found to provide 70% of food to low-income populations in Africa.3 They therefore have enormous potential to improve the diets and health of consumers on a global scale through incorporating nutrition into their business models and practices, in turn improving the availability and accessibility of healthy nutritious foods for consumers in their local markets.

The NBM tool consists of 27 scored and unscored indicators, grouped into 5 thematic areas – products
& management, marketing, workforce programs, labeling, and engagement. Depending on the answer option selected, tailored recommendations – including relevant information and resources for follow-up – are generated.

The final report for the NBM project showcases the methodology, aggregate results from the tool’s testing phase, and the output from capacity building workshops. The report delves into lessons learnt and recommendations moving forward.

GAIN/ATNI (2022) The Nutrition Business Monitoring tool A self-assessment tool for Micro-, Small-, and Medium-sized enterprises to improve performance on nutrition #49 p.

5th Conference on Land Policy in Africa

 

21 - 24 November 2023. Addis-Ababa, Ethiopia. The 5th Conference on Land Policy in Africa. 

20/11 There are several pre-events lined up, just before the conference.

• This is a tripartite consortium consisting of the African Union Commission (AUC), the African Development Bank (AfDB) and United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA)
• Conference in the context of the ‘Year of AfCFTA: Acceleration of the African Continental Free Trade Area Implementation’, which is the AU Theme of the year.
• Zoom links are accessible for registered participants

Extracts of the agenda

21/11: Opening Ceremony 

MC: Dr. Janet Edeme, African Union Commission

Speakers

1. H.E. Josefa Leonel Correia Sacko, AU Commissioner for Agriculture, Rural Development, Blue Economy, and Sustainable Environment 

2. Ms. Leontine Kanziemo, Lead Advisor, Natural Resources Management, AfDB

3. H.E Hans Lundquist, Ambassador of Sweden to Ethiopia and Djibouti, and Permanent Representative to AU, IGAD and UNECA.

4. Hon. Judith Nabakooba, Minister of Lands, Housing & Urban Development, Uganda 
5. 
   Mr. Antonio Pedro, Deputy Executive Secretary, United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA)

21/11: Technical Session 

Location: Nelson Mandela Conference Hall
Zoom Link to Nelson Mandela Conference Hall
Chair: Dr. Elizabeth Mirika Musvoto, University of Cape Town, South Africa; liz.musvoto@uct.ac.za

Assessing transparency, inclusiveness, and sustainability in large-scale land acquisitions in Africa

Marie Gradeler¹, Dr. Jeremy Bourgoin^1,2, Angela Harding¹, Dr. Christoph Kubitza³, Dr. Ward Anseeuw¹

1: International Land Coalition, Italy; 2: CIRAD, France; 3: German Institute for Global and Area Studies, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, University of Göttingen

---

Medium Scale Commercial Agriculture and its Role in Structural Transformation, Wealth Creation and Enhanced Livelihoods in an African Context: Evidence from Contemporary Zimbabwe

Dr. Clement Chipenda

University of South Africa, South Africa

The cohort of medium scale farmers created by the fast track land reform programme (FTLRP) has become pivotal in the country’s reconfigured agrarian structure with the State identifying them as key drivers of its agricultural transformation strategy. In an economy that is heavily reliant on the agricultural sector, medium scale commercial farmers are considered as agents of change, bridging the gap left by the predominantly white owned large scale commercial farming sector, decimated by the FTLRP. The predominate black medium scale Zimbabwean farmers are increasingly being considered as critical in spearheading agricultural commercialisation trajectories, facilitating accumulation and as catalytic agents for socio-economic transformation and development. 

---

Potential Livelihood Benefits of Entitling Customary Rights to Land in Africa: Evidence from Farm Households in Nigeria

Prof. Adebayo Musediku Shittu¹, Dr. Mojisola Olanike Kehinde²

1: Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Nigeria; 2: Landmark University, Omu-Aran, Kwara State, Nigeria

---

Scaling bottom-up land governance interventions: including local institutions to increase (perceived) tenure security

Dr. Wytske Chamberlain-van der Werf

Utrecht University, The Netherlands, 

23/11: Technical Session 
Location: Nelson Mandela Conference Hall
Zoom Link to Nelson Mandela Conference Hall
Chair: Prof. Uchendu Eugene Chigbu, Namibia University of Science and Technology, Namibia; echigbu@nust.na

 

Scaling-up Community Participatory Mapping and Land Use Planning to reinforce customary land governance for multi-stakeholder engagement on sustainable investments and trade on land in Southwest Cameroon.

Harrison Nnoko, Dr. Ndjounguep Juscar, Solomon Brown

AJESH (AJEMALEBU SELF HELP), Cameroon

---

Post independence land policies in southern Africa: Improving agricultural productivity and value chains for export

Dr. Charles Chavunduka, Marcyline Chivenge

University of Zimbabwe, Zimbabwe

---

A National Land Policy in Crisis: The Case of Ghana

Eunice Naa Odarley Lamptey, Prof. John Tiah Bugri

Department of Land Economy, KNUST, Ghana

---

A review of the Enabling Environment for Transformative Land Investment in Ethiopia, Ghana and Mozambique

Dr. Ermias Aynekulu Betemariam¹, Dr. Endalkachew Wolde-Meskel¹, Dr. Emily Jeanne Gallagher¹, Dr. Tamiru Amanu³, Dr. Delia Catacutan¹, Dr. George Christoffel Schoneveld¹, Eunice Matey Offei², Divine Appiah², Nana Ama Yirrah², Dr. Osvaldo Matessane², Dr. Anne Larson¹

1: Center for International Forestry Research and World Agroforestry (CIFOR-ICRAF), Kenya; 2: SNV; 3: Wageningen University Research

24/11: Technical Session

Impacts of Land Registration and Cash Grants on Agricultural Investment and Trade: Evidence from Women Farmers in Uganda

Joao Montalvao, Michael O'Sullivan

World Bank, United States of America

The findings of this study indicate that tenure insecurity and credit constraints are important barriers hindering African women's participation in higher-value, agricultural trading. They also show that it is possible to alleviate these barriers through policy design, and that doing so can have important impacts on women's empowerment.

Related: AFSA PUBLICATIONS

 November 21, 2023 – We are excited to announce the launch of a series of five national land policy study reports on Senegal, Mali, Togo, Ghana, and Cameroon, as part of AFSA’s "Our Land is Our Life" initiative. This landmark release underscores AFSA’s commitment to promoting sustainable land rights and governance in Africa.
 

Key Insights and Objectives of the Reports:

Recommendations for Advocacy Strategy: They offer recommendations to inform advocacy strategies for land rights, identifying key policy spaces, entry points, and actors best placed for advocacy.

Policy Barriers and Advocacy Opportunities: The reports aim to identify barriers to land rights and opportunities for policy advocacy, including strategies for challenging opposing narratives.

Stakeholder Analysis: They provide an analysis of key stakeholders in land policy, identifying allies for protecting small-scale farmers and pastoralists’ rights, and examining the influence and narratives of those who favor privatization and investment in land rights.

Implementation of International Guidelines: The reports assess how international guidelines on land governance, such as those from the UN, AU, and RECs, are being implemented at the national level.

Large-Scale Land Acquisitions: They evaluate the extent and impact of large-scale land acquisitions by both national and international investors on local land users.

Impact Assessment on Land Users: The reports assess how current land governance frameworks impact various groups such as family farmers, indigenous peoples, women, and youth. This includes examining human rights, land rights, access to and control of land, protection of customary land rights, and involvement in land policy decisions.

Examine Land Policies and Governance: They seek to understand the national land policies and governance structures, focusing on how these policies affect peasants’ rights, women’s rights, and food sovereignty.

Millet: How to Create a Business Around Neglected and Underutilized Species?

 20 November 2023. Millet: How to Create a Business Around Neglected and Underutilized Species? 

How innovative approaches and creative thinking can reintroduce sustainable, nutrient-dense ingredients like millet and sorghum into children's diets. Discover the potential of neglected and underutilized species and learn how to turn innovative ideas into successful businesses.

• the PowerPoint presentations
• the masterclasses website
• See also success stories

Speakers:

• Ms Shauravi Malik: Co-founder of Slurpp Farm, an Indian startup 
  
  
  Slurrp Farm was born from the concern of two mothers who realised that the current food system is broken, and requires innovation and creativity to re-introduce sustainable, nutrient dense and diverse ingredients back into our children’s diet. This we thought is the best way to ensure that kids, farmers and the planet stay happy.
  
  Shauravi's passion is to get her own children to gobble up all the exciting and healthy food she makes. She loves food, eating it and making it! Shauravi brings over a decade of finance experience. She worked in the Consumer, Healthcare, and Retail Advisory team and the Leveraged Finance team at J.P.Morgan. She was an Investment Manager at Sir Richard Branson's Group Holding entity at the Virgin Group in London. She holds a Master's degree in Economics from Cambridge University and a BA in Economics from St. Stephen's College, Delhi University.
  
  
• Ms Joanna Kane Potaka: Deputy Executive Director for Strategy, Engagement, and Impact at the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI).

Recording

Related:

Recognizing the value of millet and millet-based products in Kenya

Dorah Momanyi, is the founder of the Nutritious Agriculture Network in Kenya. In her work, she re-establishes the use of indigenous grains, such as sorghum, amaranth and millet, by making plant-based snacks.

Millets are still considered food for people experiencing poverty. Millennials and Generation Z actually cannot even identify the type of millet in Kenya. They shy away and scorn millet as food for our ancestors. In the Kisii and Luo community, millet is a significant crop used in traditional ceremonies that lead up to weddings.

Despite the availability of many cereal options, people still tend to choose alternative cereals. In Kenya, for example, maize is the staple food, and it is challenging to change the consumption patterns of a population.Moreover, millet planting, harvesting, threshing, and storage are all done manually, which makes it a tedious process. Due to the lack of adequate markets and low returns, many large-scale farmers avoid cultivating it. The consumption of common millet-based products, such as porridge and ugali, is low as they are not attractive to eat. Additionally, they are typically only consumed as a main meal and porridge is only eaten occasionally.

Some research institutes, including the Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization (KALRO), are focusing on traditional indigenous grains and African leafy vegetables. The momentum geared towards funding startups in the indigenous food space is just beginning to take its footing. 

During the International Year of Millet, the Ministry of Agriculture developed and showcased millet-based food products. The National Flour Blending Policy requires millers to add alternative grains to maize flour, increasing the use of millet.

IPES-Food News | Local food policies offer blueprint for climate action

IPES (2023) From Plate to Planet #33 p.

Read the report ( EN | FR | ES )
Read the summary ( EN | FR | ES )
Read the press release (EN)

This new IPES food report exposes how city and regional governments are leading the way on real food and climate action, even as national governments lag – with dozens of inspiring examples of effective action on-the-ground. Examples are drawn from signatories of the Glasgow Food and Climate Declaration. It shows how local governments are pioneering policies on food and climate change through dozens of inspiring examples on the ground, including:

• promoting healthy and sustainable diets, 
• reducing food waste, 
• shortening food chains, 
• training organic farmers, 
• and ensuring all residents can access healthy and sustainable food. 

Global action on the climate crisis is nowhere near the scale and commitment required to limit warming to 1.5°C. Urgent and far-reaching action to transform food systems is needed to reach the Paris Agreement target. However, while national governments are falling short – cities and regional governments are pioneering far-reaching policies on food and climate change.

‘From Plate to Planet’ finds local governments from small towns to mega cities and regions, have recognized food system change as a key lever for climate action. Leading action that goes 35% above and beyond what has been pledged by national governments; they are reducing food miles, cutting food waste, transforming school canteens, and sparking shifts to sustainable diets.

The IPES expert panel calls on national governments to take inspiration from local governments and harness the emissions-cutting potential of food system transformation.

"It’s truly inspiring to see cities and regions leading the way on action to transform food systems and reduce emissions. It's time for national governments to learn from them - drawing down emissions from plate to planet," Olivier De Schutter, IPES-Food's co-chair

Periodic Table of Food Initiative

26 October 2023. Ag2Nut webinar -

Periodic Table of Food Initiative

Recording is availably online sine 17/11

The Periodic Table of Food Initiative (PTFI) seeks to empower global partners to address these questions. Specifically, we are harnessing the power of technological advancements to provide tools, data, and training to characterize food quality and safety based on food composition of the world’s edible biodiversity. 

PTFI will be launched in April 2024

PTFI enables partners to map how the composition of foods around the world varies with environmental conditions and agronomic practices, using standardized analytical tools based on omics technology and rich metadata that complement traditional food composition methods. 

The PTFI  elucidates linkages between agriculture, nutrition, and health in novel ways.

PTFI's ultimate goal is to empower global stakeholders to use food composition data to advance informed solutions to our most pressing food system challenges: climate change, biodiversity loss, and malnutrition.

• Moderator: Anna Herforth, Ag2Nut 
• Selena Ahmed, Foodomics 
• Steve Watkins, Standardized Tools + Data 
• Jonathan Lundgren, Scientific Assessment of Regenerative Agriculture 
• Chi-Ming Chien, Data Showcase 
• Gina Kennedy, Research + Translation 
• Kevin Cody, Food EDU

Background:

The Agriculture-Nutrition Community of Practice, better known as Ag2Nut, is a global network of professionals working on agriculture and nutrition linkages which was crated in 2010. The group is informal, and designed to facilitate information sharing and networking. 

The group has roughly 9,500 members from 130 countries. It includes members of national and international NGOs, UN organizations, governments, universities, independent professionals, bilateral institutions and donor organizations. Visit this page for more information about Ag2Nut, and join the group at www.ag2nut.org.

Related resources:

Beyond Reasonable Doubt: Avoiding conflict of interest in nutrition research
In the late 1950s, as the evidence of smoking's harm mounted, tobacco giants crafted a strategy to manipulate scientific understanding and foster doubt. Today, parallels emerge as Big Food adopts similar tactics. In this blog, Stuart Gillespie reveals the Ultra-Processed Foods industry playbook.

Public health consequences of transnational food companies: experiences from the Mexican context

Transnational food companies (TFCs) often claim to support public health, but they have opposed nutrition policies in countries like Mexico. Simón Barquera writes about how TFCs use various tactics, such as legal challenges and lobbying, to undermine public health policies.

Unmasking the Profitable Marketing of Trans Fats at the Expense of Public Health

Phyllis Addo reveals how the food industry uses strategies to profit from trans fats, despite their negative impact on public health. These fats influence people's food choices, as the foods that contain them are appealing, and accessible.

Focusing on healthy diets to counter corporate influence in public health
There's been a focus on controlling obesity to improve people's health, but has this let the unhealthy food industry off the hook? Mélissa Mialon and Hernando Salcedo Fidalgo suggest shifting the focus towards promoting healthy diets to counter corporate influence on public health.

Unravelling the “fresh” misconception of ultra-processed foods in Ghana
In Ghana, there's a common misconception that eating ultra-processed foods leads to a "fresh" appearance. Nevertheless, these foods are far from fresh, as they are heavily processed and contain additives and sugars. Gyinadu Abubakar addresses this misconception and suggests actionable measures.

The State of Food and Agriculture 2023. 

FAO's report emphasizes the need to consider the hidden environmental, social, and health costs of agrifood systems. The report outlines a two-phase True Cost Accounting process, with national-level assessments for awareness. Globally, the hidden costs of agrifood systems exceed $10 trillion, affecting health, labor productivity, and the environment.

Guide for the NOVA 27 UPF Categories Tracker
Researchers from Equador have released a new guide, a tool to monitor ultra-processed food and beverage consumption globally. Originally validated in Brazil through an IMMANA-funded study, the tracker is now being adapted and validated in Quito, Ecuador. This guide documents how others can use this innovative tool in a specific population or at a national level.

Improvement of Nutritional Quality of Food Crops with Fertilizer: A Global Meta-Analysis 

This is a comprehensive global meta-analysis that examines the impact of fertiliser on the nutritional quality of food crops. Analysing 551 field experiments from 1972 to 2022, the paper reveals that fertilizer application enhances crop yield by 30.9% and improves nutritional quality by 11.9%.

The Political Economy of Food System Transformation: Pathways to Progress in a Polarized World

14 November 2023. The Political Economy of Food System Transformation: Pathways to Progress in a Polarized World by IFPRI

See also PAEPARD blogpost of 21/09 with some extracts of this book. 

The Political Economy of Food System Transformation, a new IFPRI and Oxford University publication edited by Danielle Resnick and Johan Swinnen, tackles the complex subject of understanding the sound understanding of interest group dynamics, incentive systems, the role of ideology and coalitions, and accountability structures.

It is  integrating insights from a global set of interdisciplinary scholars. Their work encompasses food system policy issues relevant to diets and environmental sustainability at the local, national, and international levels. The authors address a wide range of issues, including the need to repurpose costly agricultural subsidies, reduce red meat and ultra-processed food consumption, increase uptake of appropriate biotechnologies, adopt sugar-sweetened beverage taxes, implement the European Union’s Farm to Fork Strategy, adapt urban food system councils to local contexts, and track accountability for global food system commitments.

• Moderator Charlotte Hebebrand, Director of Communications and Public Affairs, IFPRI
• Danielle Resnick, Senior Research Fellow, Development Strategies and Governance Unit, IFPRI and Non-Resident Fellow, Brookings Institution
  "One of the key takeaways of the book is to not really ascribe normative goals to stakeholder categories. So trying to get away from food superheroes and villains dichotomies, that civil society is good and all corporate food industry is bad. Those types of dichotomies impede progress on trying to get forward food system transformation. 
  
  The political economy approach is necessary to identify often-neglected issues, namely contestations, power dynamics, beliefs, ideas, interests, coalitions, cooperation, and policy aims of stakeholders in the food environment.
  
  
• Koen Deconinck, Economist, Trade and Agriculture Directorate, OECD
• Eduardo Gómez, Professor and Director of the Institute of Health Policy and Politics, Lehigh University
  
  

Government Response to Ultra-Processed and Sugar Beverages Industries in Mexico, India and South-Africa..

The global domestic Coalition for regulatory reform [in marketing, sales and labeling] has been late to emerge. The Political Economy context may be soon changing as more activist and more research become aware of the importance of enforcing regulations.

We need more research on the different international domestic political economy contexts interest and incentives, between non communicable disease policies, to better understand why nations are not making as much progress in tackling these diseases. My comparative analysis of soda taxes versus regulatory policy prioritization reveals that more work needs to be done comparing the international and domestic politics of agenda-setting between NCD policy sectors.

• Christopher Barrett, Stephen B. and Janice G. Ashley Professor of Applied Economics and Management and International Professor of Agriculture at the Charles H. Dyson School of Applied Economics and Management, Cornell University
• Johan Swinnen, Managing Director, Systems Transformation, CGIAR and Director General, IFPRI
• Discussant Loraine Ronchi, CGIAR Senior Advisor for Policy Impact, IFPRI

Forum on China-Africa agricultural cooperation

13 - 15 November 2023.  The Second Forum on China-Africa Cooperation in Agriculture was held  in Sanya, Hainan Province. 

China has signed 34 agricultural cooperation agreements with 19 African countries and organizations, fostering collaboration in various aspects of agriculture. China has established 24 agricultural technology demonstration centers, which have benefited over a million small-scale farmers. This year, China-Africa agricultural trade is expected to exceed $10 billion, reflecting the growing economic ties between the two regions.

Similarly, the Governor of Hainan Province, Liu Xiaoming, emphasized the potential of the Hainan Free Trade Port to enhance preferential tariff benefits.

He proposed the cultivation of complete industrial chains for key agricultural products and the expansion of trading partnerships for tropical agricultural goods within the Belt and Road Initiative and FOCAC framework. Furthermore, the forum outlined a comprehensive plan for the coming years, focusing on agricultural modernization in African nations.

China pledged to deepen the alignment of agricultural development strategies, intensify policy consultations, and ensure full coverage of bilateral agricultural cooperation mechanisms. Plans include bolstering agricultural technology cooperation, enhancing grain production, establishing joint laboratories and research centers, and training an additional 1,000 agricultural science and technology personnel for Africa over the next three years.

14/11 Participants of 2nd Forum on China-Africa Cooperation in Agriculture went on field trips in Sanya

ReNAPRI Stakeholder Conference

14-16 November 2023. Victoria Falls Zimbabwe 10th Annual ReNAPRI Stakeholder Conference

• Download the ReNAPRI Conference Booklet here with the detailed agenda and bio of the speakers
• Download the Concept Note & Program at a Glance here

The theme for this year’s conference perceives of the continent as being, “In Motion, fortifying Africa’s food system through increased productivity, climate resilience and adaptation”.

The key objectives of the 10th Annual ReNAPRI Stakeholders’ Conference were as follows: 

1. Sparke policy conversations around key thematic areas that the network has explored in recent times (fertilizer and soil health; value chain analysis for policy prioritisation; climate change; effects of shocks on commodities (food, fuels and fertilizer availability and prices) 
2. Receive feedback/validation from stakeholders, including policy makers, vis a vis the various topics that will be presented during the conference 
3. Discuss and appreciate the relevance of local think tanks and the kind of support required to sustain them, as we celebrate the 10 editions of the ReNAPRI Annual Stakeholder Conferences. 

14/11 Session 1 Beyond the Africa Fertilizer and Soil Health (AFSH) Summit: Support towards operationalization of the AFSH Action Plan

The African Union (AU) has made a bold decision to address the widespread soil health problem in Africa through two iniaves; the Africa Ferlizer and Soil Health (AFSH) Action Plan, and the Soil Initiave for Africa (SIA). 

• Moderator: Dr. Antony Chapoto, Technical Chair, ReNAPRI 
• Key Presenter Dr. John Olwande, Research Fellow, Tegemeo Institute/ReNAPRI 
• Key Presenter Dr. Shamie Zingore, Director of Research and Development, African Plant Nutrition Institute (APNI). 
• Constance Munyenyembe, Country Director for Malawi, Zambia and Tanzania, IFDC 
• William Chadza, Executive Director, MwAPATA 
• Marie-Claire Kalihangabo, Coordinator, Africa Fertilizer Financing.Mechanism (AFFM) 
• Dr. Maria Wanzala, Policy Services Director, AFAP 
• Dr. Liesl Wiese-Rozanov, International Consultant 
• Vandi Gamba, Agricultural Officer, Farm Input Support Services Department, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Nigeria

14/11 Session 2 Prioritization of Agricultural Policies and Investments through Value Chain Analysis

This session provided a brief overview of the Prioritisation through Value Chain Analysis (PPVC) approach and the ongoing capacity development programme within ReNAPRI, which was followed by three in-country case studies where the PPVC approach has been implemented and which can demonstrate positive policy influence that is rigorously and demonstrably targeted towards Inclusive Agricultural Transformation (IAT) outcomes.

• Moderator: Dr. Thina Moyo, Senior Lecturer, Namibia University of Science and Technology 
• Key Presenters Prof. Ferdi Meyer, Director of the Bureau for Food and Agricultural Policy (BFAP) 
• Key Presenters Dr. Zena Theopist Mpenda, ReNAPRI Research Director (SUA, Tanzania)
• Dr. Timothy Njagi Njeru, Research Fellow, Tegemeo Institute of Agricultural Policy and Development Joyce Minofu, Research Analyst, MwAPATA Institute 
• Elifadhili Ezekiel, Head of Operation of QSTEK Farming Ltd 
• Dr. James Gakuo Mwangi, Managing Director, First Choice Mineral Feeds 
• Dr. Rodwell Mzonde, Director, Agricultural Planning Services, Malawi's Ministry of Agriculture 
• Dr. Mogale Sebopetsa, Head, Agriculture Department Western Cape Government, South Africa

Below recording only captures the Q&A of the panel

14/11 High Level Panel Discussion Strengthening local expertise to deliver high-quality research for policymaking and influence: ‘Localization’.

This High-Level Panel Discussion interrogated the perceptions of eminent persons/experts/leaders from Africa and beyond and enlightened the audience on what a continentally connected, thriving capacity-building ecosystem for modern policy making and advocacy should reflect. 

• Prof. Thomas Jayne, Emeritus Professor, Michigan State University, US
• Michael Surdakasa, Africa Fertilizer Agribusiness Partnership (AFAP) 
• Dr. Aggrey Agumya, Executive Director, FARA 
• Dr. Lilian Kirimi, ReNAPRI Research Director (Tegemeo) 
• Alan Rennison, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF) 
• Dr. Emily Weeks, USAID Washington 
• Dr Michele Mbo'o-Tchouawou, Deputy Director Programs, African Women in Agricultural Research and Development AWARD, Kenya
• Prof. Peter Quartey, ReNAPRI Finance Chairperson
• Dr Dirk Troskie Director: Business Planning and Strategy in the Western Cape Department of Agriculture (WCDoA) in South Africa. Southern African representative on the Executive Committee of the African Association of Agricultural Economists (AAAE) as well as being invited by the African Union to participate in the process to develop a Geographical Indication (GI) Strategy for Africa. The WCDoA is considered as one of the leading evaluating Departments in the country and on the African Continent.

14/11 Sustainable Food Systems in Africa I: Role of Zimbabwe’s Agriculture in attaining Vision 2030

15/11 SEED TRADE IN EASTERN AND SOUTHERN AFRICA

The objective of the session was to bring clarity and focus to the policy and regulatory issues that are negatively affecting the cross-border trade of seed, with a view to identifying recommendations and tools that can help facilitate trade and deepen the integration of the regional seed market. 

• Moderator: Dr. Tinashe Kapuya, ReNAPRI Research Director 
• Key Presenter Dr. John Mukuka, CEO, ACTESA, COMESA 
• Key Presenter Dr. Takemore Chagomoka, Regional Manager, Seed Co West & Central Africa 
• Key Presenter Dr. Learnmore Mwadzingeni, Soybean Breeder, Seed Co Group 
• Dr. Emmanuel Mwakiwa, ReNAPRI Research Director, University of Zimbabwe 
• Dr. Jackson Langat, Measurement, Learning and Evaluation Advisor 
• Dr. Shephard Siziba, Lecturer, University of Zimbabwe

15/11 Session 3 Implementation of NDCs and NAPs in Africa under the Paris Agreement on Climate Change: Lessons Learnt from four (4) Pilot Countries

The African Union Commission's Department of Agriculture, Rural Development, Blue Economy and Sustainable Environment (AUC-DARBE) and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) jointly officially launched the Comprehensive Africa Climate Change Initiative (CACCI) on 8th November 2021, during the 26th United Nations Climate Change Conference of Pares (COP26) held in Glasgow, United Kingdom. 

CACCI is focused on providing support to selected African Union (AU) member States in their efforts to respond to the Paris Agreement on Climate Change and, is designed to contribute to the implementation of the African Climate Change Strategy, while complementing the African Union's Green Recovery Plan. 

Working in the 4 pilot countries, ReNAPRI and AKADEMIYA2063, have been collaborating with local partners to build capacities needed for data gathering and analyses, together with technical and inter-ministerial coordination around two broad topics: i. to facilitate implementation of and reporting against NDCs; and ii. to develop and implement NAPs to adapt to climate change in ways that promote resilience, food security, and inclusive growth.

• Moderator: Tracey Davids, Executive Director, Bureau for Food and Agricultural Policy (BFAP)
• Speaker Dr. Emily Weeks, Senior Policy Advisor, Bureau for Food Security - USAID 
• Speaker Prof. David Tschirley, MSU & PRCI 
• Speaker Harsen Nyambe, AU (Director for Sustainable Environment and Blue Economy) 
• Key Presenters Dr. Antony Chapoto, Research Director, Indaba Agricultural Policy Research Institute (IAPRI) 
• Octave Nshimiyimana, Director General, MINAGRI Rwanda 
• Prospera Anku Okrah, Deputy Director, Public Extension Services, Ministry of Food and Agriculture Agricultural Extension Services, Ghana 
• Hedges Tembo, Chief Green Economy Officer, Ministry of Green Economy and Environment, Zambia 
• Dr. Suresh Babu, Senior Research Fellow, IFPRI 
• Justin EDAH, Director of Planning, Administration and Finance, Benin 
• Thabani Mathews Siziba, Economist, Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development Zimbabwe

15/11 Session 4 Effects of global shocks on food, fuels, and fertilizer (prices and availability) on food systems in Africa: a case of the conflict in Ukraine

This session discussed the effects of the global shocks, with a bias towards the recent Russia-Ukrainian War, on the African agri-food system and in turn suggest practical solutions that could be used to increase the resilience of the agri-food systems to exogenous shocks.

• Moderator: Candice Mwakalyelye, Journalist, Zimbabwe 
• Key Presenters Dr. Emmanuel Mwakiwa, ReNAPRI Research Director, University of Zimbabwe 
• Key Presenters  Prof. Ayala Wineman, Assistant Professor Michigan State University (MSU) 
• Boubacar Dramé, Technical Advisor, Ministry of Agriculture, Senegal. He has participated in the last 10 years in the major projects implemented by various international organizations such as UNIDO or COLEACP EDES EU in favour of sanitary and phytosanitary inspection bodies in the region
• Kristy Cook, Senior Policy Advisor, USAID 
• Dr. Clemens Breisinger, Senior Research Fellow, IFPRI 
• Panduleni Elago, African Union Commission. She currently serves as a Senior CAADP Advisor in Agriculture Development activities at the African Union Commission, within the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (DARBE), located in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. In this capacity, she is responsible for providing technical support to implement the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) Business Plan for 2022-2025. She also offers support to the Regional Economic Communities (RECs), Member States, and key stakeholder partners in the planning, programming, and implementation of initiatives that promote the advancement of the CAADP Malabo agenda, strategic multi-stakeholder engagement,
• Dr. Takemore Chagomoka, Regional Manager, Seed Co West & Central Africa 
• Rosemary Chikarakara, CEO, Consumer Council of Zimbabwe 

16/11 Session 5 The 2023 OECD-FAO Agricultural Outlook and FAO’s support to the AUC in promoting agribusiness development towards enhancing implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA)

This side event convened by FAO will have two segments. The first segment will examine the 2023 OECD-FAO Agricultural Outlook and a 2022 special scenario analysis on achieving Zero Hunger sustainably. The second segment will examine FAO's support to the AUC in facilitating enhance implementation of the AfCFTA agreement towards the development of priority agricultural value chains and in particular the partnership with the AUDA-NEPAD in developing an Agribusiness Flagship Programme for Southern Africa.