AGNES W. MWANG’OMBE University of Nairobi

2. FOOD AND NUTRITION SECURITY, POVERTY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY: STILL A CHALLENGE IN AFRICA AGNES W. MWANG’OMBE University of Nairobi

3. Food and Nutrition security and poverty status • Until the poor and vulnerable are assisted with problem of food insecurity, hunger will continue to block their prospects to invest and develop themselves out of poverty. • Food insecurity in Africa, as one of the major causes of hunger and malnutrition, continues to deter economic growth and limit progress in reducing poverty.

4. M(I)DGs and NEPAD • African countries are committed to both MDGs and at least 6% annual GDP growth rates. • The region needs to seriously start integrating climate change issues into its developmental strategies. • The impacts of either droughts or floods are immense.

5. Comprehensive African Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP): the African response (2003)

6. Dublin initiative discussing aligning CGIAR AND CAADP • AUC has been involved in a key engagement on the broader efforts of advancing African Agriculture through CAADP by aligning the work of the CGIAR to African Agriculture. • CGIAR SLOs: • Reduce rural poverty • Improve food security • Improve nutrition and health • Sustainably manage natural resources through high-quality international research and partnerships-CRPs

7. Tackling complex issues with collaborative research-15CRPs

8. Proposed way forward: Just to name a few areas to focus on • Create effective seed systems(vegetatively propagated germplasm ) to facilitate uptake of high yielding varieties- dryland cereals, indigenous vegetables, tuber crops etc) • Leverage for Support for Human (attracting and retaining the youth and including Farmer education/exposure) and Institutional capacity building. • Support processing/value addition initiatives to reduce wastage of harvested farm produce • Create and support Effective partnerships

9. Thank you