SEPTEMBER 30, 2021
In the wake of the 2021 UN Food Systems Summit, the 50x2030 Initiative to Close the Agricultural Data Gap hosted its seminar, Transforming Food Systems in Africa: Resilience through Agricultural Data on Sepember 30th.
For this seminar, 50x2030 welcomed partner Regional Strategic Analysis and Knowledge Support System (ReSAKSS) to lead in an exploration of how agricultural data can inform transformational food systems in Africa to make them more equitable, resilient, nutritious, productive, climate smart, inclusive and safe.
Using their work supporting countries in the Third Biennial Review (BR) of the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) as a reference, ReSAKSS reported on the identified data challenges and gaps. Managers of the the 50x2030 Initiative provided examples of how 50x2030 survey instruments produce critical agricultural data, and how they could be leveraged in the CAADP process and in other frameworks in 50x2030 partner countries.
Discussions reflected on the outcomes and recommendations of the Food Systems Summit and looked at factors that could be useful for African governments as they try to build healthier, more sustainable, and equitable food systems, such as infrastructure (storage, roads for transport), policy, markets and investment.
Christophe Duhamel, 50x2030 Program Manager a.i. chaired the seminar with main presentations by Dr. Anatole Goundan, Senior Associate Scientist, AKADEMIYA2062; Dr. Greenwell Matchaya, ReSAKSS Coordinator for Southern Africa; and Dr. John Ulimwengu, ReSAKSS Africawide Coordinator. Discussants included Chiara Brunelli, 50x2030 Data Production Component Manager a.i., Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations; Michael Steiner, 50x2030 Data Use Component Manager, International Food for Agricultural Development; and Dr. Simplice Nouala, Head, Division of Agriculture and Food Security, Department of Rural Economy and Agriculture, African Union Commission.
