By Contributor
KAMPALA– Mandera West MP Adan Yusuf Haji is leading delegates drawn from East Africa for the Eastern African Parliamentary Alliance on Food Security and Nutrition( EAPA-FSN) conference in Uganda.
Haji is the chairman of the EAPA-FSN which together with other partners is hosting the 6th General Assembly and Capacity Development Parliamentary Dialogue on Food Systems and Nutrition at Speke Munyonyo Resort in Kampala, Uganda.
Haji is accompanied by Lamu County MP Hon Monicah Murubu Muthoni.
The regional conference started on November 26th and it will end on 30th November, 2024.
The Dialogue is co-organized by the EAPA-FSN Executive Committee members, the National Assembly of the Republic of Uganda, with the support of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations.
The theme for the meeting is “Healthy Diet for all, promoting climate smart forgotten Indigenous Nutritious Foods for Better Nutrition”.
Speaker of the Parliament of Uganda, Anita Annet Among in a speech read on her behalf by Gomba West MP Robina Gureme Rwakoojo during the opening ceremony stated that the conference came at the right when African nations were battling malnutrition among citizens.
“The theme of this year’s Annual General Assembly is both timely and highly relevant. It is crucial that our actions today reflect the urgency of the challenges we face,” said the Speaker.
Haji in his opening remarks called on member states to invest more resources in dealing with malnutrition through indeginous food and also reversing effects of the same.
He added that statistics of the number of people malnourished in the region was scaring and required adequate attention and resources to deal with.
“Study has revealed that 700 million people in the world are malnourished and 1 among 5 malnourished in Africa… there is a need to venture into traditional crops to tackle food security and nutrition challenges,” he said.
He added; “The importance of healthy diets cannot be overstated. Malnutrition, in all its forms including under nutrition, over nutrition, and micronutrient deficiencies continues to pose a significant challenge to the people of Eastern Africa”.
He explained that effects of poor nutrition are far-reaching, contributing to stunted growth in children, weakened immune systems, reduced productivity, and a decline in overall health.
The chairman noted that promotion of indigenous, nutritious foods is a key part of the solution to this complex issue.
