Has ten-year implementation of the regional agriculture policy of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAP) contributed to improve Nutrition?
Achieving nutrition outcomes through agriculture and food systems in West Africa
Publisher: FAO
Year of publication: 2016
Pages: 28 p.
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Abstract:
In 2005, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) elaborated its first regional agricultural policy (ECOWAP), in line with the Comprehensive Africa Agricultural Development Program (CAADP), to boost West Africa agricultural sector, improve livelihoods and reduce food insecurity and malnutrition. After 10 years of implementation, it became necessary to assess the progress made and the impacts of the Policy. Considering also the new developments at global and regional level in term of commitment to fighting hunger and malnutrition, such as the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs); the Rome Declaration and Framework of Actions of the Second International Conference on Nutrition (ICN2); the African Union (AU) 2014 Malabo Declaration with its implementation strategy and roadmap; ECOWAS Hunger Free Initiative and other laudable initiatives such as the CAADP Nutrition Initiative.
This assessment represents an opportunity to reinforce nutrition priorities which may not have been fully captured and addressed in the first version of the ECOWAP. The analysis reviews the contribution of ECOWAP to the prevention and reduction of malnutrition with relevant contributing factors. It also proposes key nutrition interventions to mainstream into the new ECOWAP
