Assuring food and nutrition security in Africa by 2020 -- prioritizing actions, strengthening actors, and facilitating partnerships

Food and nutrition security remain Africa’s most fundamental challenges. The number of Africans who are undernourished has been on the rise for decades and now stands at about 200 million people. However, a new commitment to change is emerging both among African leaders and in the international community. Africa may at last be poised to make real progress on achieving food and nutrition security.

To help determine how to bring about actions that will assure food and nutrition security, the 2020 Vision Initiative of the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) facilitated an African-owned and African-driven conference in Kampala, Uganda, on April 1-3, 2004. The conference, “Assuring Food and Nutrition Security in Africa by 2020: Prioritizing Actions, Strengthening Actors, and Facilitating Partnerships,” brought together more than 500 traditional and new actors and stakeholders representing perspectives and experiences from more than 50 countries and all major sectors. Participants took stock of Africa’s food and nutrition security situation; identified priorities and strategies for implementing action in five key areas — raising agricultural productivity, fostering economic growth, building human capacity, improving nutrition and health, and strengthening governance — and explored ways in which actors from all levels can work together. The conference culminated with the development of a framework pointing the way toward a food- and nutrition-secure Africa. This comprehensive volume presents the richness of the presentations and deliberations as well as the auxiliary activities and related documents.