Cotonou: Approximately 181 million children under five worldwide are living in severe child food poverty, consuming diets that are inadequate for their physical and cognitive development, as highlighted in a 2024 UNICEF report.
According to Ghana News Agency, the report indicates that Sub-Saharan Africa is home to about 57 million of these children, where diets are often restricted to just two food groups. This limitation leaves children without the essential nutrients necessary for healthy growth. Factors contributing to this situation include inequity, conflict, and climate crises, resulting in higher risks of wasting and stunting among affected children.
In response, UNICEF, in collaboration with the African Union Commission (AUC) and the Government of Benin, has initiated the First Foods Africa Initiative. This continental program aims to combat child food poverty and malnutrition by enhancing nutrition-sensitive food systems in Cotonou, Benin. The initiative is designed to ensure that children across Africa have access to safe, affordable, and nutritious diets during their earliest years.
The launch of the initiative brought together policymakers, development partners, civil society, and private sector representatives to collectively address the issue. Prof. Julio Rakotonirina, Director of Health and Humanitarian Affairs at the AUC, described the launch as a crucial step toward eradicating child malnutrition and building resilient food systems across the continent. He emphasized that nutrition is a right for every child, regardless of geography or economic status, asserting, "With the launch of First Foods Africa, we affirm that good nutrition is a right. Hunger is preventable. The African Union Commission is working hand in hand with UNICEF, member states, regional bodies, and the private sector to amplify this initiative."
Despite a decline in stunting rates in Africa from 41.5 percent in 2000 to 32.3 percent in 2020, population growth has led to an increase in the absolute number of stunted children, now totaling 62.3 million. Additionally, 11.4 million children suffer from wasting, and most African countries are not on track to meet the 2030 Sustainable Development Goal nutrition targets.
First Foods Africa is built on three strategic pillars: promoting the local production of safe and affordable first foods for children under five, strengthening policy environments to support access to those foods, and stimulating consumption through social marketing, behavior change, and community engagement. The initiative will initially be rolled out in 14 priority countries across West, Central, East, and Southern Africa. Its success will depend on robust partnerships with African governments, local food producers, and international organizations such as the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), World Food Programme (WFP), World Health Organization (WHO), International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), and the World Bank.
UNICEF is also establishing a Child Nutrition Fund (CNF) to mobilize resources, provide technical support, and encourage private sector investment. Mr. Omar Abdi, UNICEF Deputy Executive Director, and Mr. Abdoulaye Bio Tchane, Benin's Minister of State in charge of Government Action Coordination, reaffirmed their country's commitment to championing child nutrition, describing it as vital to building a resilient continent. Civil society organizations and private sector leaders present at the launch also pledged support for reshaping food systems to better meet children's needs.
If successfully implemented, the initiative could significantly reduce child food poverty and undernutrition, granting millions of children access to healthier diets and improved chances of survival and growth. UNICEF and the AU stated that the long-term goal is to ensure that no child is left behind, as Africa's future hinges on the health and potential of its youngest citizens.