Working towards transforming the agri-food systems in Eastern Africa

Addis Ababa: – Commending FAO Eastern Africa for making significant progress in implementing its planned activities, high-level representatives from the member states and partner institutions underscored the need for a more robust and coordinated response to reverse the evolving food insecurity and malnutrition in the subregion.

This was conveyed at the 15th Annual Multidisciplinary Team Meeting of the FAO Subregional Office for Eastern Africa (SFE), convened to review the implementation of the Office’s Priority Framework (2019-2023) and FAO’s corporate initiatives in the subregion.

Participants underlined that, despite COVID-19 pandemic and multiple crises, SFE has shown a great deal of determination to support member states and key institutions in their effort to ensure that the agriculture sector continues to support the livelihoods of millions of households in the subregion. Nonetheless, they asserted that the existing food insecurity and nutrition challenge requires bold and transformative actions to shift the subregion on to a sustainable and resilient path.

Opening the Meeting, David Phiri, FAO Subregional Coordinator for Eastern Africa and Representative to the African Union (AU) and United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA), observed that Eastern Africa had continued to experience various crises and shocks, including ever-present conflicts and more frequent droughts and floods further aggravating the already fragile agri-food systems.

Phiri noted that staff members in the FAO country offices and at SFE have demonstrated a great deal of tenacity in adopting and embracing the new realities, and have continued to respond to the needs of member countries, partners and the communities that FAO was serving.

“Building community and household resilience and preserving access to safe and nutritious food have been and will continue to be, an essential part of our joint efforts,” he stressed.

Representing high level Government representative at the opening of the Meeting, Arefaine Berhe, Minister for Agriculture of Eritrea, shared the best practices that Eritrea had demonstrated through its national programme, “The Minimum Integrated Household Agricultural Package (MIHAP).” Minister Berhe said the programme had promoted grassroots agro-development activities to improve the living conditions of the farming communities. Now, he recalled, communities had begun to meet their food and nutrition requirements, as well as income from sale of surplus products, while protecting the environment. Thanking FAO for its new Strategic Framework based on four Betters (better Production, Better Nutrition, Better Environment and Better Life), the Minister highlighted that the Government of Eritrea had already adopted the four Betters in its work in agriculture. He shared a short video, which depicted how the transformation to more inclusive, resilient and sustainable agri-food systems was being realised in Eritrea.

The MDT15 Context

The 15th FAO SFE Multidisciplinary Team Meeting, held from 26 to 28 October 2021, reviewed the implementation of the FAO Eastern Africa’s Priority Framework (2019-2023); the priorities of the FAO member states and the Regional Economic Communities; the progress in the implementation of the recommendations of the 31st FAO Regional Conference for Africa and preparations for the 32nd Regional Conference planned for April 2022; as well as the rollout of FAO Corporate Initiatives in the subregion.

The Meeting further deliberated on the current food and nutrition situation in the subregion and its determinants, as well as on the needs and requirements of the member states and key partner institutions to mitigate the situation. FAO country offices showcased practical examples in the implementation of some of the corporate initiatives, including the Green Cities Initiative, the 1000 Digital Villages Initiative and the four cross-cutting/cross-sectional “accelerators”.

Furthermore, panellists from European Union, Mastercard Foundation, United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the World Bank reflected on their ongoing collaboration with FAO, and also highlighted areas requiring strengthening for even better collaboration.

The meeting was also apprised of the new developments in the FAO human resources and administration areas, as well as how to communicate better with a view to promoting FAO as a partner of choice.

Closing the three-day Meeting, Abebe Haile-Gabriel, FAO Assistant Director-General and Regional Representative for Africa, indicated that FAO’s new Strategic Framework seeks to support the 2030 Agenda and the Malabo Declaration of the African Union. This will be realised through the transformation to MORE efficient, inclusive, resilient and sustainable, agri-food systems for better production, better nutrition, a better environment, and a better life (the four betters), leaving no one behind. He noted that the four betters represented an organising principle for how FAO intended to contribute directly to SDG 1 (No poverty), SDG 2 (Zero hunger), and SDG 10 (Reduced inequalities), as well as to supporting achievement of the broader SDG agenda, which is crucial for attaining FAO’s overall vision.

Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations