In honor of Africa’s forerunner, the Organization of African Unity (OAU), which was founded on May 25, 1963, the day Africa Day is celebrated every year on May 25. As of the 9th of July, 2002, the Organization of African Unity had been renamed the African Union. The African Union also be celebrating its 20th anniversary in 2022.
Nutrition is the focus of the 2022 Africa Day celebration, and the African Union aims to strengthen Agro-Food Systems, Health, and Social Protection Systems to accelerate the development of human, social, and economic capital on the continent.
Covid-19 has exposed the economic and health and food system inadequacies of African countries. Many countries’ gains in human capital over the last decade are at risk because of COVID-19. Malnutrition reductions have been sacrificed in many African countries too to keep the virus at bay. Food waste is expected to rise as a result of rising food insecurity concerns. The poor and vulnerable must be safeguarded as soon as possible. Human capital needs to be invested in programs that aim to help the most disadvantaged people.
There is a pressing need for more advocacy in high-risk areas, for improved social safety nets, and for ensuring that the most vulnerable populations, such as children and the elderly, have easy access to nutritious foods and beverages.
It is the goal of the 2022 Africa Day to raise awareness and consciousness about the importance of nutrition and health in Africa.
This is also emphasized in Agenda 2063’s long-term vision. An African society where people “are healthy, well-nourished and can expect to live for at least 75 years places a high value on nutrition as part of its vision for the kind of “Africa We Want.” Africa’s future prosperity depends on its ability to produce enough food to feed its people and the world at large, which necessitates the preservation and development of high-quality agricultural techniques throughout Africa.
As part of the 2022 Africa Day celebrations, Africa has collaborated with countries outside the continent to improve food security. Indian cooperation with African nations in agricultural and related sectors is notable, particularly through training programs, institutional development, and soft loans to improve farming practices, irrigation, soil quality evaluation, and farm equipment.
On the other hand, India’s trilateral collaborations to promote food security in Africa include the IBSA Fund, USAID, and the DFID-funded Supporting India’s Trade Preference for Africa (SITA) program. Indian officials have also suggested that food testing laboratories be established in countries such as the Congo, Zimbabwe, we and Gambia, with the International Crops Research Institute (ICRISAT) serving as an implementing agency for this effort. Currently, labs have been set up in both Nigeria and Zimbabwe.
As a result, the 2022 Africa Day theme is to promote food security and strengthen the African agricultural system. African health and nutrition are not only critical to the continent’s overall well-being, but they are also critical to the world-African relationship, and therefore must be addressed in the context of the current food, agriculture, and health crisis in Africa.
- Tags: Africa Day, Africa Day 2022, Nutrition
