H.E. Demeke Mekonnen Urges Transformative Action for Africa’s Food Systems at UN FOOD SYSTEMS SUMMIT

He articulated, “Today, we have heard powerful evidence, heartfelt appeals, and innovative solutions—all pointing to one truth: nutrition is not a peripheral issue; it is the cornerstone of our human capital, resilience, and sustainable development.” He further stressed, “as African Leaders for Nutrition, we believe this is the decisive moment to shift from aspiration to implementation—to ensure every child, every mother, every community across Africa has access to the healthy, nutritious food they deserve.” In this spirit, Demeke called for a collective “Call to Action” from the African Leaders for Nutrition Champions, a rallying cry directed at Heads of State, governments, the private sector, civil society, and global partners to ensure tangible results “on every plate, in every school, and in every community.” He highlighted the dire consequences of inaction in a region where over 60 million children are stunted and millions more face the growing burden of overweight and non-communicable diseases, stating, “the cost of inaction is unthinkable,” and asserting that “we cannot end hunger with calories alone; we must end hunger nutritiously. The time to act is now—and Africa must lead.”

Demeke’s plea serves as a rallying call to all stakeholders, including Heads of State, Ministers, Parliamentarians, Mayors, Youth leaders, Women, the Private Sector, civil society, and Global Partners, urging them to unite around a bold and coordinated agenda for action. To elevate nutrition to the top of Africa’s development and investment agenda, Demeke proposed that every nation appoint a high-level national nutrition champion to drive political will and multi-sectoral coordination. He further advocated for integrating measurable nutrition and diet quality indicators into national development plans, including Vision 2030, Agenda 2063, and food systems plans. His vision encompasses embedding a comprehensive food systems approach that moves beyond mere caloric intake to deliver diverse, safe, and affordable diets, and crucially, ensuring national food systems strategies include robust industrial and value chain development plans that strengthen local food processing, fortification, and preservation, thereby reducing import dependence and enhancing resilience.

Furthermore, Demeke called for a definitive transition from commitments to predictable and adequate investment by operationalizing the African Union’s commitment to dedicate at least 5% of national budgets to nutrition. He also underscored the critical importance of leveraging climate finance, philanthropic efforts, and blended finance instruments to crowd in private capital for nutrition-sensitive interventions and to vigorously support nutrition-sensitive agribusinesses, food processors, and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), particularly those led by women and youth.

Scaling existing, effective mechanisms such as the African Development Bank’s Banking on Nutrition and End School-Age Hunger (ESAH) Fund, and strategically aligning future resources with country-led priorities, were also highlighted as key recommendations. The overarching focus of this pillar is on delivering proven solutions at scale, including the institutionalization of school meals as a national guarantee for every child, bundled with local procurement, support for smallholder value chains, and comprehensive nutrition education. He strongly encouraged promoting blue foods and indigenous and underutilized crops that are nutrient-rich, climate-resilient, and culturally rooted, while simultaneously supporting technology transfer and skills development essential for processing these vital foods. Additionally, he stressed the paramount importance of empowering women and youth across value chains through targeted support and robust capacity building initiatives.

To effectively move from promises to demonstrable performance, Demeke advocated for the widespread adoption of nutrition accountability scorecards, aligning them meticulously with the African Union’s Biennial Review process and the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) performance frameworks. He called for diligent monitoring of diet quality and nutrition outcomes across all relevant sectors, including agriculture, fisheries and aquaculture, health, and education. Promoting fair competition and transparency across food systems, from input suppliers to processors and retailers, to prevent monopolistic structures or unfair trade practices from hindering nutrition-sensitive agriculture, was also highlighted as a crucial step. He concluded this point by stating the imperative need to report results to the AU Assembly and via the African Leaders for Nutrition (ALN) platform, meticulously tracking not only consumption and nutrition outcomes but also vital industrial performance indicators such as the proportion of nutritious foods processed locally, SME participation in value chains, and the reduction of post-harvest losses, emphatically stating, “What gets measured gets done.”

Finally, Demeke urged Africa to boldly lead global discourse with clarity, courage, and conviction by championing nutrition as a strategic lever for climate adaptation, economic recovery, and human development, advocating with “One Africa, One Voice” at high-level international forums such as COP30, the G20, and various global pledging platforms. He demanded more inclusive global financing architecture that unequivocally prioritizes nutrition-sensitive food systems, particularly in fragile and climate-vulnerable contexts across the continent. He also called for vigorous advocacy for equitable trade and investment frameworks that empower African countries to produce, process, and access nutritious food sustainably, and for the comprehensive integration of nutrition across Africa’s broader development policy agenda, ranging from debt reform to the strengthening of regional value chains. “This is Africa’s Decade of Delivery,” Demeke declared with unwavering conviction. “Let us deliver not later, not tomorrow, but now. Let us act not alone, but together. Because when food systems provide healthy diets, they bring dignity, prosperity, resilience, and peace. Let Africa lead.”