Developed and endorsed the FNP and FNS
Ethiopia developed and endorsed its first-ever Food and Nutrition Policy on November 23, 2018, and the National Food and Nutrition Strategy (2021-2030). The country has taken steps to address the food and nutrition challenges of the country by 2008 and 2020 the main undertakings included the development and implementation of the National Nutrition Strategy, National Nutrition Program I and II, established nutrition coordination platforms, Nutrition Coordinating Body (NNCB) and the Nutrition Technical Committee (NNTC) in 2009 at federal, regional, and lower levels, and joined the Global Scaling-Up Nutrition (SUN) Movement in 2012. In addition, in 2015, the government of Ethiopia launched the Seqota Declaration, a high-level government commitment to end stunting by 2030. The country has also developed a proclamation for establishing food and nutrition council at national and regional levels. ECSC-SUN believed that the establishment of the food and nutrition councils will significantly improve nutrition sectoral accountability, multi-sectoral nutrition governance, and the effective implementation of the food and nutrition strategy at all levels.
ECSC-SUN SUPPORT
Food and Nutrition Strategy (FNS) Launching & Food and Nutrition Council (FNC) Establishment
- ECSC-SUN coordinated with its partners (SCI, AMREF Health Africa, World Vision and Nutrition International) and jointly with Ministry of Health and Sidama regional state government organized Sidama National Regional state FNC establishment and FNS launching high level workshop on June 9, 2022.
- ECSC-SUN jointly with Ministry of Health, Southwest regional state government and UNICEF organized South West regional State FNC establishment and FNS launching high level workshop on Aug 30, 2022.
- Preparatory activities in progress for the Somali regional State FNC establishment and FNS launching high level workshop.
Food and Nutrition Strategy Translation
- Finalized and validated Food and Nutrition Strategy (FNS) translation to Somali and Afar languages coordinated by AMREF Health Africa and the FNS translation to Amharic language is pending validation.
Africa Year of Nutrition and Food Security Lunch in Ethiopia
- The 2022 Africa Union Year of Nutrition and Food Security is officially Launched on July 7 2022 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia under the theme of “Utilize the Africa Year of Nutrition to show case the Seqota Declaration and galvanize continental efforts in expanding successful government efforts towards ending stunting in Africa”. The event was jointly organized by the Government of Ethiopia and African Union Commission and show cased the progress made by the multi-sectoral Seqota Declaration to galvanize continental efforts towards ending stunting. The Ethiopian government high level officials from different sectors and international stakeholders attended the launching event.
UNGA
- ECSC SUN supported both technically and financially on the coordination and Seqota Declaration documentary brief video production of the High Level side event on the 77th UNGA conducted in New York. During the side event, high level leaders represented by H.E President, Vice President and Deputy Prime Minster signed the Presidential Declaration which affirmed and marks African leaders commitment to work together under Presidential Dialogue Group for Nutrition to collectively avert childhood stunting in Africa.
- The government of Ethiopia shared its Seqota Declaration experience to other Member States in Africa. The Heads of States invited were Nine African countries (Ethiopia, Uganda, Tanzania, Malawi, Madagascar, Mozambique, DRC, Niger and Senegal). The aim of the side event was to achieve the establishment of the presidential dialogue Group on nutrition, the Heads of states to sign a continental declaration for stunting reduction, and the Africa Development Bank to assist countries to support a bankable projects.
- During the event Excellences of the Heads of States for Malawi, the vice president for Uganda, the vice president for Tanzania, the deputy Prime Minister of Ethiopia, the AU Commissioner, the Africa Development Bank president, the Global SUN coordinator, Ms. Gerda, Excellency Dr Lia, and a lot of Ambassadors, Diplomats from invited countries delivered speeches and made commitment in support of the initiatives.
Africa Day of Food and Nutrition Security
- A Side Event was organized on October 31, 2022 to share the learnings from South-South dialogues on stunting among four countries in Africa on the first day of the commemoration of the Africa Day of Food and Nutrition Security at Africa Union. The side event is organized by Amref Health Africa in Close Collaboration with Ethiopia, Senegal, Malawi and Nigeria. The objectives of the side event was to share the process and outputs of the South-South dialogues on stunting, together with key cross-country learnings on tested stunting reduction strategies and share country experiences and reflection on advancing key priorities towards a further reduction in stunting rates.
Nutrition leadership
ECSC-SUN has been supporting the government to enhance its commitment and improve food and nutrition governance and leadership through a nutrition leadership network and high-level policy advocacy events. In this reporting period, ECSC-SUN conducted the 4th ENLN hybrid annual forum on November 23, 2022with the theme “Nutrition Leadership for Climate change resilient Food System and Nutrition in Ethiopia” which served as an entry point for advocacy. The event serves as an avenue for the exchange of learnings and building of common understandings on ways to strengthen the effort of ENLN in supporting the Government of Ethiopia’s effort in terms of steps and actions to end malnutrition in all its forms in the country by 2030. The meeting also served to share recent national development in the food and Nutrition landscape in the continent, globally, and its linkage with climate change. The event was attended by 220 participants (virtual and face to face) from government officials from different sector ministries, the UN Assistant Secretary General and SUN Network Coordinator, HE Ms. Gerda, Ireland Ambassador to Ethiopia, H.E. Ambassador Nicola, SUN Network leads and members, ECSC-SUN Coalition member agencies, UN, Donors, Academia, NGOs, private sector, Media and member of the Ethiopia Nutrition Leaders Network invited from all over the country. SCI Deputy Country Director- PDQI, Jeannine made a keynote speech at the event and reaffirmed Save the Children’s commitment and support for strengthening nutrition leadership in Ethiopia. ECSC-SUN Secretariat has also facilitated a post-event reflection session organized for the 4th ENLN annual forum organizing team and shared summary notes. Coalition members also attended a side event called by HE Ms. Gerda
In collaboration with the ministry of Health and the Right2Grow project, ECSC-SUN organized the 7th round Nutrition Leadership Training from 19-25 December 2022 in Bishoftu town in two parallel sessions. A total of 78 (8 female) Nutrition Leaders including Regional Nutrition Experts from Addis Ababa, Oromia, Harari, SNNP regions, Hawassa University and ECSC-SUN member agencies attended the training. The overall purpose of the training was to build the capacity of mid-level nutrition leaders and managers, like head of national and regional nutrition case teams, Sector Nutrition case teams/focal persons, nutrition managers to lead from where they stand to overcome inter-sectoral and multi-sectoral nutrition planning and implementation and to address the leadership gap. ECSC-SUN actively engaged in and provided technical and financial support to review the Nutrition leadership training material jointly with the ENLN team and Ministry of Health, Nutrition Coordination Office from March 15 -16, 2023 at Bishoftu town. Currently, the training materials including the facilitator guide, participant’s manual, and PowerPoint presentation are in their final review pending endorsement.
Good Practices
Ethiopia-Somalia Benchmarking tour on nutrition governance and coordination: The Somalia-Ethiopia peer-to-peer countries learning exchange mission has been supported by ECSC-SUN. Before the visit, joint online discussions were held with the Somalia team, the SUN regional team, and the Ethiopian SUN Coordination team, including the ECSC-SUN Secretariat. The purpose of the benchmarking visit was to create a forum to document and share experiences, lessons, and best practices to inform the implementation of the newly endorsed multisectoral food and nutrition strategy, coordination structure/system at federal and regional levels, and learning from the multisectoral Seqota Declaration program delivery unit implementation in the country. The visit also planned to establish a collaborative working relationship with the Ethiopian team for continued learning and exchange programs in areas of multisectoral nutrition coordination with evidence-driven sustained impact at all levels of programming. At the end of the visit, the Somalia team shared its gratitude for the overall coordination and arrangement of the benchmarking visit and was inspired to domesticate what had learned during the mission.
Learning Event
A colorful exhibition was organized as part of the learning event where a number of organizations including government sectors, ECSC-SUN secretariat, international NGOs, Local NGOs, Academia, SUN networks, private sectors, consortiums, and alliances were represented. The exhibition included roll-up banners, brochures, newsletters focusing on best practices, success stories, operational research, synthesized evidence, research papers, and briefs aligned with the Food and Nutrition Strategy, Seqota Declaration, and Food Systems Transformation in Ethiopia. Furthermore, sample food products were displayed by SUN business network partners.
