- 08/09/2025
Stunting is a major concern in Eastern Africa, where nearly 1 in 3 children under 5, about 22.6 million, are
affected (UNICEF, WHO, Worldbank, 2023). In Kenya, the prevalence has declined to approximately one in
five children (18%), outperforming the regional average of 31.6%. However, this still represents more than
1.2 million children at risk (KNBS, Ministry of Health, ICF, 2023). The consequences are far-reaching;
stunting contributes to child mortality, vulnerability, and lifelong impairments in physical growth and
cognitive development, impacting both individual well-being and national productivity. In Kenya, child
undernutrition, including stunting as a key component, is estimated to cost the economy KES 374 billion
(approximately USD 4.2 billion) annually, equivalent to 6.9% of the GDP (Government of Kenya, 2019).
Stunting, a persistent form of long-term nutritional deprivation, acts as a silent driver of inequality, limiting
opportunities, lowering future earnings and reducing the potential to contribute equally to the economy.
Yet the returns on investment in nutrition are high, with every dollar yielding up to $22 in economic
benefit. (Eberwein, et al., 2016)
As we prepare for the 2025 Global Forum (13 – 17 October) marking ten years of the Milan Urban Food Policy Pact, we're bringing insights from our work across Africa and Asia on how city governments and local food markets can transform urban food environments and wider food systems.
Walking through any bustling urban food market, from Pemba (Mozambique) to Arusha (Tanzania) and Bogor (Indonesia), is a remarkable experience. Beyond the offerings of fresh, dried, iced and frozen produce, spices, cooked traditional meals, and animated negotiations between vendors and customers, the experience of the market is at the nexus of food systems and nutrition policies and daily realities. These markets are about more than selling and buying food; they are where the future of food systems, within cities and across urban–rural landscapes, borders, and territories, is being lived, innovated, and imagined.
The Second United Nations Food Systems Summit Stock take (UNFSS +4) which held 27–29 July 2025 in Addis Ababa, co‑hosted by Ethiopia and Italy – closed with a powerful reaffirmation of political will, partnership, and accountability in support of sustainable, inclusive, and resilient global food systems transformation. It brought together 3,500+ participants, 145+ national delegations and 700+ non-state actors. Participants from governments, civil society, producers, youth, Indigenous Peoples, academia, and the private sector gathered for Plenary sessions, High-level Panels, Ministerial Roundtables, Investment Dialogues, and Stakeholder-led constituencies.
The Second United Nations Food Systems Summit Stock take (UNFSS +4) which held 27–29 July 2025 in Addis Ababa, co‑hosted by Ethiopia and Italy – closed with a powerful reaffirmation of political will, partnership, and accountability in support of sustainable, inclusive, and resilient global food systems transformation. It brought together 3,500+ participants, 145+ national delegations and 700+ non-state actors. Participants from governments, civil society, producers, youth, Indigenous Peoples, academia, and the private sector gathered for Plenary sessions, High-level Panels, Ministerial Roundtables, Investment Dialogues, and Stakeholder-led constituencies.
Senior editors and nutrition media champions met in Nairobi on Friday for a Media Roundtable on Nutrition Education and Advocacy, jointly hosted by the Ministry of Health and the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN) Kenya.
Chimoio, Mozambique – A white Hino truck rattles under its own weight on the bumpy road, while its tires throwing particles of dust from the asphalt in the air from the district of Cantandica, Manica province, central Mozambique.
- 11/09/2025
While Rwanda has made notable progress in recent decades on areas linked to improved prosperity such as growth in agricultural production and poverty reduction,rates of malnutrition remain a public health concern, particularly among vulnerable groups like young children.
Mary Wamuyu Gathemia, a 41-year-old mother of two, runs a vibrant vegetable stall in Muthumi Village, Muguga Ward, Kabete Sub-County, Kiambu County. For years, Mary operated a small general shop selling household items and a few groceries. However, her shop struggled to break even, and she was on the verge of closing it to focus on being a housewife.
- 02/09/2025
In 2022, rapid food price increases raised interest in how such shocks impact markets and consumers—and how policy can mitigate them. To examine this, we undertook a detailed qualitative study in urban Ethiopia, a country particularly hard hit by food inflation. Over two periods in summer 2022, in-depth interviews were undertaken with 83 consumers and market vendors in Hawassa, a mid-sized city, including structured free-listing and ranking exercises.
