Is Africa still on track to achieve SDG 2?

According to experts, a combination of conflict, erratic weather patterns, the COVID-19 pandemic, and economic shocks are expected to continue driving severe food insecurity in the East African region in 2022. The Executive Chairperson of Akademiya2063, Dr. Ousmane Badiane, highlighted the profound impact of these crises on people's livelihoods and food security in the region. Despite the challenges posed by these shocks, Dr. Badiane emphasized that with proper preparedness, investment in safety nets, and efforts to enhance productivity, the detrimental effects of these crises can be mitigated. He raised critical questions about why these shocks consistently lead to large-scale suffering and emphasized the urgent need to improve responses to crises to prevent widespread hardships. Dr. Badiane underscored the human and economic costs of food insecurity, highlighting the profound impact on individuals' livelihoods, health, and future productivity. He noted that the ripple effects of food insecurity extend beyond the vulnerable and marginalized populations, ultimately slowing down economic growth and productivity across entire economies. In the context of Africa's abundant resources, Dr. Badiane attributed the prevalence of food insecurity to historical factors, including mistakes made in the past that have contributed to persistent poverty and malnutrition. Despite these challenges, he expressed optimism about Africa's potential to address food insecurity by leveraging lessons from successful countries and implementing effective reforms and interventions. Looking ahead to 2022, Dr. Badiane painted a challenging short-term outlook for East Africa, citing the compounding effects of conflicts, weather shocks, and other crises that have exacerbated food insecurity in the region. Despite these challenges, he emphasized the possibility of progress in achieving Sustainable Development Goal 2, zero hunger, by 2030. Dr. Badiane highlighted the progress made in addressing child malnutrition in certain African countries and stressed the importance of replicating successful strategies to reduce malnutrition rates and enhance productivity in agriculture and labor. While acknowledging existing gaps in preparedness and vulnerability mapping to effectively respond to shocks, Dr. Badiane expressed confidence in Africa's ability to make significant strides towards SDG 2 by learning from past successes and prioritizing key reforms and interventions. He underscored the importance of enhancing productivity and resilience among vulnerable populations as a crucial step towards sustainable food security. Overall, Dr. Badiane's insights shed light on Africa's ongoing struggle with food insecurity, the progress made in addressing malnutrition, and the challenges that lie ahead in achieving SDG 2 by 2030.