African leaders make economic case for increased nutrition investments

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May 23, 2016 5:58 PM

On the opening day of the AfDB Annual Meeting in Lusaka, AfDB President Dr. Akinwumi Adesina hosted a discussion among influential leaders, philanthropists, and businesses on how Africa can achieve nutrition security through increased investments and public-private partnerships.

The president of the African Development Bank (AfDB) Akinwumi Adesina

Today, key African leaders at the African Development Bank (AfDB) Annual Meeting, in partnership with the Global Panel on Agriculture and Food Systems for Nutrition, outlined a vision for a new high-level effort and shared new data strengthening the economic case for investment in nutrition across Africa.

On the opening day of the AfDB Annual Meeting in Lusaka, AfDB President Dr. Akinwumi Adesina hosted a discussion among influential leaders, philanthropists, and businesses on how Africa can achieve nutrition security through increased investments and public-private partnerships.

“To empower people out of poverty, we must first invest in the gray matter infrastructure that will truly fuel this progress—the minds of our children. Nutrition is not just a health and social development issue, nutrition is an investment that shapes economic growth for all African nations,” said Adesina.

“When the growth of our children is stunted today—the growth of our economies will be stunted tomorrow. But when Africa’s children are nourished and can grow, learn, and earn to their full potential, we will be able to unleash the potential of the entire continent.”

New analysis released today from the Global Panel on Agriculture and Food Systems for Nutrition shows increased investments to meet the World Health Assembly target of reducing stunting by 40 percent by 2025 could add $83 billion in additional GDP growth in just 15 sub-Saharan African countries. The full analysis from the Global Panel can be found here and additional statistics on nutrition in Ghana can be found at the end of this release.

Country: Ghana

Under 5 Population Size: 3,735,000

Prevalence of under 5 stunting: 19% in 2014

Increase or decrease in stunting: Decrease by 4 pct: 23% in 2011; 19% in 2012

Number of stunted children: 697,000 in 2014

Number of children wasted: 174,000 in 2014

% of women of reproductive age with anemia: 56% in 2011

Rate of exclusive breastfeeding under 6 mos.: 52% in 2014. Trending up from 2011 by 6%

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