In view of the new Global Goals for Sustainable Development, the ASC organizes a seminar on Nutrition in Sustainable Development in Africa. As good nutrition is both an investment in and an outcome of development, it is a theme that cuts across the different Global Goals. Food and nutrition security for all will depend on reaching Goals 1-3 ‘no poverty, zero hunger and good health and wellbeing’, but also on the following goals, such as Goal 4 ‘quality education’, Goal 5 ‘gender equality’ and Goal 12 ‘developing sustainable consumption and production patterns’. Malnutrition is a burden to societies in three forms: undernutrition due to lack of food, micronutrient malnutrition due to a lack of dietary diversity and at the other end of the spectrum: overnutrition.

For further information on parts of ‘the triple burden of malnutrition’ missing in the SDG’s (as per The Global Nutrition Report 2015 published by the International Food Policy Research Institute), see the background note for this seminar. For further information on past trends (1961-2011) in food balance, prevalence of undernourished and child undernutrition (from FAO and Demographic and Health Surveys, respectively) in four African countries (Kenya, Nigeria, Tanzania and Uganda), read the research reports on Agricultural Dynamics and Food Security Trends.

Program

There will be two presentations:

• ‘Pathways towards sustainable food systems for healthier African diets’
  by Thom Achterbosch
  How can agriculture play a bigger role in solving malnutrition in Africa?
• ‘Sustainable nutrition research for Africa in the years to come’
  by Patrick Kolsteren
  Africa needs to invest more in the nutrition programs that we know are effective, while also identifying and filling data gaps that may be barriers to progress. Read the abstract here.

The seminar will be chaired by ASC director Ton Dietz.

This Africa Today seminar has been organized on the occasion of Wijnand Klaver’s retirement (although he will continue to be affiliated with the ASC).
The seminar will be followed by drinks for the seminar participants, while at 16:00 a reception for invitees will start.

Speakers