Food Insecurity
In the current period, it is estimated that around 4.4 million people (27% of the ASAL population) are facing high levels of Acute Food Insecurity – IPC AFI Phase 3 (Crisis) or above, of which about 774,000 people are in IPC AFI Phase 4 (Emergency)
Training on the UNECA Blue Economy Valuation Toolkit (BEVTK) to IGAD Member States
The Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) in collaboration with Sub-Regional Office of East Africa (SRO-EA) of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) conducted a training to IGAD Member States on the UNECA Blue Economy Valuation ToolKit (BEVTK) in Nairobi, Kenya.
The Blue Economy Valuation Toolkit (BEVTK), allows for quantified estimates of the existing economic, social as well as ecological contribution of the Blue Economy resources and services of a country which includes: sea, lakes, rivers, and wetlands. The BEVTK adopts a multisectoral approach and complements step-by-step methodology for policy development highlighted in the Blue Economy Policy Handbook for Africa also developed by UNECA in 2016
The three-day training brought together BE National Focal Person, National Statistics Office Data Expert, Blue Economy Researcher from Academia/ Research Institutions, and Fisheries Director/ Director General from IGAD member states of Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan, and Uganda as well as experts from UNECA with the aim of building the knowledge base and capacity of IGAD Member States for policy makers and relevant stakeholders to be able to conduct adequate planning.
Speaking at the opening of the training, IGAD Head of Mission to Kenya, Dr. Fatuma Adan representing IGAD Executive Secretary H.E. Workneh Gebeyehu (PhD) said “This training is critical to quantify the contribution of BE for GDP and produce policy briefs for policy makers so that the sectors will get the required budget. Traditional sectors such as fisheries, tourism, mineral extraction and marine and river transport are showing evidence of significant development capacities while emerging sectors such as aquaculture, marine biotechnology and bioprospecting, desalinisation and renewable energy are currently lacking attention and require substantial attention in the future”.
Trainees had a hands-on practical session on the application of Blue Economy Valuation Toolkit (BEVT) to calculate the contribution of BE sectors for Gross Domestic Products (GDP). They also exercised the estimation of Blue Economy for social development and ecosystem service uses of marine and aquatic ecosystems. One limitation of the toolkit that needs further work was that the toolkit is mainly for marine environment, and it needs an improvement to address inland aquatic ecosystems.
At the conclusion of the training ended, the recommendations of the way forward are:
- Create a platform at national & regional level that will roll out the toolkit.
- IGAD and UNECA mobilise resources for capacity building and further application of the toolkit in each IGAD Member States.
- Research & higher learning institutions should take the leadership on generating data required for their inputs to apply the toolkit.
- UNECA and trainers (tool developers) work further and release the online version of the toolkit
The Training was held with financial support from the Sweden Government under the IGAD Project “Enhancing Blue Economy in the IGAD Member States for Biodiversity Conservations and Livelihood Diversification”.
World Food Safety Day
Today, the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) joins the rest of the world to commemorate the World Food Safety Day: “Food Standards Save Lives”.
IGAD is committed to assuring that all people in its member states and the region at large, at all times, have physical, social and economic access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food to meet their dietary needs and food preferences for an active and healthy life.
In this regard, IGAD Secretariat has a critical role to play for success of this food safety. The IGAD role in food safety include:
- Providing a platform for high level dialogues;
- Enhancing technical cooperation and building stronger capacity through improved technical capacity for effective coordination of implementation of the strategy. The Secretariat is also in the process of soliciting resources for building regional and national capacities for implementation of the strategy. Where necessary, the secretariat will provide support for implementation of the strategy at country level. IGAD secretary will actively disseminate food safety information, provide technical training and workshops for targeted audiences, including consumers, and support and produce guidance for food business operators and national food safety competent authorities; and
- Building partnership and international collaboration, these include positions for matters in the meeting agendas of international organisations such as the Codex Alimentaires commission (Codex), the International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC), and the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH). This approach will ensure a stronger voice of the IGAD member states in international forums.
In 2022, IGAD with support from FAO developed food safety strategy for 2022-2027, with vision “All foods available in the IGAD region are safe” and mission “To strengthen national and regional food safety systems in the IGAD region to assure food safety and facilitate fair practices in food trade”. The scope of the strategy will cover measures necessary for food safety assurance at all the segments of the entire food chain, from primary production to household level.
The development of this strategy was guided by the principles shown below:
- Public health protection against foodborne diseases;
- Science and risk-based decision;
- Reliance on food business operators to bear the primary responsibility to produce safe food;
- Harmonization, equivalence and mutual recognition of measures in facilitating regional and international trade of food;
- Transparency;
- Non-discriminatory measures;
- Integrated approach to food safety control;
- Partnerships, coordination, and collaboration at national, regional, and international levels;
- Target setting, monitoring, and evaluation to measure and motivate improvements in knowledge,governance, and practice; and
- Growing consumer demand for safe food is an integra part of food safety.
To achieve the vision of the strategy, IGAD Secretariat and IGAD member states commit to working together towards realisation of results in the below six key priority areas, through achievement of the respective key strategic objectives.
- Efficient and effective coordination of national food safety control services;
- Improved public health and enhanced intraregional and international trade of food;
- Food safety measures in national sectoral legislations with food safety implications;
- Improved private sector capacity and participation for compliance with food safety requirements and regulations;
- Improved stakeholder engagement and risk communication at both national and regional levels;
- Effective and efficient regional coordination of food safety matters;
- Support to improve national private sector capacity and compliance with food safety requirements;
- Increase in food safety officials’ and business operator’s awareness on the importance of Codex standards/text in promoting human health and enhancing the access of international market of locally produced or manufactured food importance of food safety in public health protection and food trade promotion; and
- Functional consumer led mechanisms for collation and sharing of information and communications on food safety.
By Dr Mohyeldeen Eltohami Taha Hamed (PhD)
Head of Agriculture & Food Security (AFSU)
Agriculture and Environment Division – IGAD
Djibouti Validates and Technically Adopts a National Blue Economy Strategy
May 25, 2023 (DJIBOUTI, Djibouti): The Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), with the financial support of the Government of Sweden, organised a three-day workshop to validate and endorse the Djibouti National Blue Economy Strategy.
The Secretary General of the Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development of Djibouti, Mr. Dini Abdallah Omar, and the Director of Agriculture and Environment Division at IGAD, Mr. Daher Elmi, on behalf of the IGAD Executive Secretary, today inaugurated the High-Level Validation Workshop on the Djibouti National Blue Economy (BE) Strategy.
The first two days of the meeting were technical and brought together high-level representatives from the ministries of Environment and Sustainable Development; Finance and Economy; Agriculture, Water, Fisheries, and Aquatic Resources; Infrastructure and Equipment, Communication in charge of Post and Telecommunication; and Trade and Tourism.
In his welcome remarks, Mr. Daher Elmi pointed out that the concept of the Blue Economy represents a new approach to the sustainable economic exploitation of marine and aquatic resources and services while preserving ecosystems. “As a coastal country with enormous Blue Economy resources, Djibouti can play a key role in further regional integration”, he added.
In his opening speech, Mr. Dini Abdallah Omar emphasised the significance of implementing the BE strategy to strengthen Djibouti’s socio-economic development.
The World Bank, Japan International Cooperation Agency, UNICEF, and other development partners were present at the third day of the high-level meeting.
The aim of the validation and adoption workshop is to foster synergies and opportunities for collaboration among stakeholders to enhance national efforts to sustainably harness the opportunities presented by the Blue Economy resources and services. Upon the High-Level adoption, the national strategy will foster cooperation and hasten national and regional development when paired with the IGAD Regional Blue Economy Strategy, adopted in April 2022.
IGAD, with financial support from the Government of Sweden, is supporting Member States to develop their respective national Blue Economy strategies. The National Blue Economy Strategy serves to guide the development and coordination of Blue Economy sectors. Besides developing a Blue Economy policy and strategic plan, countries need to establish suitable institutional arrangements for devising, coordinating, and overseeing the implementation of those plans and strategies, as well as for reviewing and monitoring their progress and achievements
IGAD and WFP Consult on Water Resource Management for Fragile Food Systems
May 31, 2023 (NAIROBI, Kenya): The Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) in partnership with the World Food Programme, yesterday inaugurated a consultative symposium on water resources management for food and nutrition security.
Relevant stakeholders convened and discussed ideas, proposals, and investment strategies that will enrich and advance water resources management for food and nutrition security, especially in fragile, complex, and conflict-prone settings.
Representatives of public and private institutions such as the Boston Consulting Group; the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP); the World Wildlife Fund (WWF); the Global Centre on Adaptation (GCA); the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP); the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO); IGAD Climate Prediction and Applications Centre (IGAD CPAC); and IGAD Centre For Pastoral Areas and Livestock Development (IGAD CPALD) also took part in the symposium.
The two-day symposium was attended by senior representatives, including the Director of Agriculture and Environment Division of IGAD, Mr. Daher Elmi, and the United Nations Under-Secretary-General and Special Envoy for the Horn of Africa, Ms. Hanna Tetteh.
In his opening remarks on behalf of the IGAD Executive Secretary, the Director of IGAD Agriculture and Environment Division, Mr. Daher Elmi, said: “We gather today under the auspices of the Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD), a symbol of regional cooperation and shared determination. The purpose that brings us together is the consultative symposium on “Water Resource Management for Fragile Food Systems: Partnerships, Solutions, and Opportunities for Impact. We find ourselves facing the specters of food insecurity, climate change, resource scarcity, and economic shocks. IGAD stands firm, focusing on enhancing agricultural production and productivity to combat these trials”.
The United Nations Under-Secretary-General and Special Envoy for the Horn of Africa stated: “Today’s Consultative Symposium on Water organised by WFP and IGAD is an important initiative that has brought together a cross-section of partners to look at the issues of water management, its impact on food systems & food security in the Horn of Africa. I am encouraged by the efforts being made across the UN Secretariat, Agencies, Funds, and Programmes to work with IGAD and its member states as well as other critical INGO, CSO, and private sector partners on sharing information and analysis as well as initiatives that have shown demonstrated positive outcomes.”
The Symposium aims to:
- develop a shared understanding of the challenges, a common ‘problem statement’;
- review together the potential options for investment and action; and
- agree on priority actions for the short, medium, and longer term.
Background
Degraded landscapes exacerbated by climate shocks limit opportunities for food diversification and production, thereby constraining positive development and human security. Aligned with IGAD’s priorities for food security and climate resilience, as well as goals enshrined in the Comprehensive African Agricultural Development Programme (CAADP), World Food Programme has committed to leveraging its operational presence in the most water-insecure countries in the region (Somalia, Ethiopia, Kenya), and to build on its institutional experience of delivering water projects at the community level, to scale-up existing programmes and activities.
