Overreliance on a few main crops, as well as poor soil health, reduce yields, hinder achievement of food security and nutrition objectives, and increase agricultural vulnerability to climate change. To address this, the Vision for Adapted Crops and Soils (VACS), launched by the United States in partnership with FAO and the African Union, and as part of the whole-of-government Feed the Future initiative, seeks to support soil health as well as breeding of traditional and indigenous crops in Africa.
The 4th Global Foresight4Food Workshop will be held on June 3 - 7, 2024 at BRAC CDM Savar, Dhaka, Bangladesh. The event will be hosted by the government of Bangladesh along with the Foresight4Food Initiative (Oxford University and Wageningen University & Research) and the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN) with support from the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), World Food Programme (WFP), Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), and the government of the Netherlands, in association with the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD), the Asia-Pacific Association of Agricultural Research Institutions (APAARI), and The World Bank.
To successfully execute Bangladesh’s National Pathway for the Sustainable, Equitable and Resilient Food Systems Transformation, it is conducive for all actors in the food system to have consistent and easy-to-access data for informed decision-making. To meet this need, the Government of Bangladesh and the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN) in collaboration with the Columbia Climate School, FAO, different ministries including Prime Minister’s Office, Ministry of Planning, Ministry of Agriculture, and other relevant ministries, departments, agencies, development partners, academia, and private sector developed the Bangladesh Food Systems Dashboard (BDFSD) integrating national and subnational level data.
Join an insightful discussion on the fascinating and multifaceted topic of women’s identities in food culture. Historically, women have been primarily associated with the domestic sphere, responsible for cooking, nurturing and sustaining their families through food. However, as societies have evolved, so too have their roles and expectations placed on women within the realm of food.
GAIN Kenya has been working towards improving the nutrition and health status of Kenyans with support from donors, government, the private sector and other stakeholders. These efforts have culminated in increased policy influence in counties, development of the Food Fortification Strategic Plan 2018-2022 and the establishment of Food Safety Coordination Committee in Counties.
Consuming a healthy diet is vital for people’s well-being – to live well, grow, and stay active. Nigeria’s vibrant food systems have the critical job of nourishing Africa’s largest nation – a growing and youthful population that needs to be well-fed to meet its potential.
Every year, the voices and discourses on gender equality and women’s rights become loudest around International Women’s Day (March 8th). The rest of the year, women’s voices are seldom heard and considered, especially in corridors of power. Men and women have distinct needs, and there are intersecting vulnerabilities such as poverty levels, ethnic affiliation, age, and disabilities which further limit women’s voices. However, the voices of women must be systematically and consistently included in all conversations, at every stage, and on all topics, especially when it comes to policies.
In March, GAIN attended the 68th Commission on the Status of Women (CSW), an annual event held at the UN Headquarters in New York that brings together stakeholders from all over the world to discuss the state of gender equality and women’s empowerment, resulting in Agreed Conclusions.
In a perfect world, functional food systems would provide multiple benefits for everyone, including healthy diets, environmental sustainability, and improved livelihoods . Unfortunately, we live in a far from perfect world. Over three billion people cannot afford a healthy diet, some 735 million people face hunger, and obesity rates are on the rise .
