Several African countries have reduced malnutrition

Countries such as Senegal, Ghana and Ethiopia have shown success in reducing malnutrition

The battle against malnutrition in Africa can be won, according to a new report launched by the Malabo Montpellier Panel at the Africa Green Revolution Forum in Cote d'Ivoire, according to a statement from Malabo Montpellier Panel.

The Malabo Montpellier Panel consists of 17 leading African and European experts in agriculture, ecology, nutrition, public policy and global development.

The report shows that several African countries, including Senegal, Ghana, and Ethiopia, have shown success in reducing malnutrition over the last 15 years and also analyses the policy decisions and actions that contributed to this achievement and draws out the lessons that policymakers, donors and other stakeholders can learn.

According to the report, Senegal, Ghana and Rwanda have all reduced the number of undernourished people and wasted and stunted children by more than 50%. Angola, Cameroon, Ethiopia and Togo has achieved reductions of more than 40%.

Joachim von Braun, Co-Chair of the Panel said, "Governments are successful in combating malnutrition when they put it at the top of their agenda and implement programmes across departments in close collaboration with partners. Investment is needed in crisis prevention and programs that build resilience against climate stresses."

However, one of the experts, Ousmane Badiane, said that although much progress has been made, significant challenges remain.

"To achieve the aims set out in the Malabo Declaration and African Union's Agenda 2063, governments need to learn from past successes and redouble their efforts to tackle the triple scourge of hunger, malnutrition and obesity on the continent. The report clearly demonstrates that progress is possible," he said.

The report further reads that demographic changes and urbanisation are adding pressure on food systems.

Critical threats include conflict and climate change, which delay progress or even reverse gains in the fight against hunger and malnutrition.

The recommendations in the report, drawn from the example set by successful countries include:

• Adopting a comprehensive policy on nutrition as a top priority

• Setting up mechanisms to co-ordinate coherent agenda on nutrition across governments

• Investing in crises prevention and emergency intervention capacities to address the threat of conflict to malnutrition reduction

• Strengthening national agricultural and nutrition research to expand biofortification and other nutrient enrichment programmes

• Empowering women's groups

•Capturing synergies between agriculture, water, health and sanitation