Addis Ababa, Ethiopia – The Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), QU Dongyu, has issued a powerful call to action, urging African leaders to make bold investments to fight hunger and malnutrition across the continent. Speaking at a High-Level Side Event during the 38th African Union (AU) Summit, he stressed that while progress has been made, millions of Africans still suffer from food insecurity and poor nutrition—a crisis that demands urgent, transformative action.
The event was hosted by His Majesty King Letsie III of Lesotho, FAO Goodwill Ambassador for Nutrition, and focused on finding a unified strategy to combat Africa’s staggering rates of hunger and malnutrition.
The Reality: Hunger and Malnutrition in Africa
The numbers paint a grim picture. According to the latest State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World (SOFI) Report:
🍽 298 million Africans—1 in 5—faced hunger in 2023.
🍎 924.8 million people could not afford a healthy diet in 2022.
👶 63.1 million children were stunted, while 10.2 million were overweight.
💉 123.9 million adults were obese, and 122.7 million women (ages 15-49) suffered from anaemia.
These figures highlight an urgent need for action, particularly as the world struggles to meet Sustainable Development Goal 2 (Zero Hunger) and global nutrition targets.
From Policies to Action: Time for a Nutrition Revolution
While Africa has made progress in placing nutrition at the heart of policy discussions, Qu emphasized that real change requires turning policies into action.
“Despite the gains we have made in making nutrition a key policy agenda in Africa, a lot more needs to be done to ensure healthy diets and adequate nutrition for every individual on the continent, leaving no one behind,” Qu said.
He urged African leaders to implement cost-effective, multi-sector solutions that can significantly reduce malnutrition, but warned that these efforts require sustained funding.
💰 Current food security and nutrition financing is simply not enough.
Building Momentum: Key Investments & Partnerships
To accelerate progress, Qu welcomed the African Development Bank’s commitment to funding nutrition-smart investments in agriculture and health. He also pointed to the upcoming Nutrition for Growth Summit in Paris this March as a critical moment to secure financial and political commitments for stronger nutrition initiatives.
Additionally, Qu praised African leaders for adopting the new Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Program (CAADP) Strategy and 10-Year Action Plan, which aims to:
✅ Transform agrifood systems to be more efficient, inclusive, resilient, and sustainable.
✅ Increase investments in nutrition-sensitive agriculture.
✅ Boost food security efforts across the continent.
A Shared Commitment for a Food-Secure Africa
“FAO is committed to playing a leadership role in accelerating policies and actions across agrifood systems to ensure healthy diets for all,” Qu assured.
The organization remains a trusted partner of the AU, working towards Africa Agenda 2063—the continent’s long-term vision for a food-secure, prosperous future.
With strong leadership, increased investment, and collaborative action, Africa can and must move towards a hunger-free future—where every child, family, and community has access to nutritious food.