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COTONOU and UNICEF, in partnership with the African Union Commission (AUC) and the Government of Benin, has officially launched the First Foods Africa Initiative, a continent-wide effort to tackle child food poverty and malnutrition through improved, nutrition-sensitive food systems.
At the launch yesterday, Prof. Julio Rakotonirina, Director of Health and Humanitarian Affairs at the AUC, said, “Nutrition is a right for every child, regardless of their geographic or economic background. This initiative is a decisive step towards eradicating child malnutrition and building resilient food systems across Africa.”
He added that the initiative emphasizes that “good nutrition is a right. Hunger is preventable. The African Union Commission is working with UNICEF, member states, regional bodies, and the private sector to scale this effort.”
Globally, one in four children under five – about 181 million – lives in severe child food poverty.
Roughly 57 million of these children are in sub-Saharan Africa, where diets are often limited and lack essential nutrients for healthy development. Poor nutrition contributes to stunting, wasting, and long-term health and cognitive challenges.
While stunting rates in Africa have dropped from 41.5% in 2000 to 32.3% today, population growth has increased the total number of stunted children from 55.1 million to 62.3 million.
Wasting affects 11.4 million African children, and most countries are not on track to meet 2030 nutrition targets.
UNICEF defines child food poverty as the inability of children to access a diverse, nutrient-rich diet. In sub-Saharan Africa, many children survive on just breastmilk or milk plus a staple cereal or tuber, often only two food groups, placing the region at the center of severe child food poverty.
The First Foods Africa Initiative seeks to incentivize local production of nutritious, safe, and affordable first foods for children under five, strengthen policies to ensure access to these foods, and encourage healthy eating through social marketing, community engagement, and behaviour change programmes.
The initiative will initially roll out in 14 countries across West, Central, East, and Southern Africa, supported by governments, African food companies, and international organizations including FAO, WFP, WHO, UNIDO, IFAD, UNCDF, and the World Bank.
UNICEF is also establishing a dedicated Child Nutrition Fund to channel investments, provide technical support, and encourage private sector participation aligned with UNICEF standards.
Omar Abdi, UNICEF Deputy Executive Director, described the launch as “a transformative moment for Africa’s children,” while Benin’s Minister of State in charge of Government Action Coordination, Abdoulaye Bio Tchane, pledged the country’s continued commitment to child nutrition as key to a resilient Africa.
If successfully implemented, the initiative could improve access to nutritious foods for millions of children, strengthen policy protection, and foster healthier eating habits, ensuring Africa’s youngest citizens thrive.
