Ethiopia Taking Decisive Steps to Transform its Food Systems: UN Food Systems

Addis Ababa/ January 16, 2025 (ENA)----Ethiopia has been taking decisive steps to transform its food systems since the 2021 UN Food Systems Summit, Coordinator of the UN Food Systems Coordination Hub Khaled El-Taweel said.

A three-day national convergence workshop on Climate Action (CA) and Ethiopian Food Systems Transformation & Nutrition (EFSTN) is underway in Addis Ababa with the focus on integrating climate change risks into the country’s food systems transformation.

While opening the workshop, Minister of Agriculture Girma Amente said that the convergence initiative aims to foster Ethiopian food system and nutrition as well as climate action which will simultaneously support the SDGs and Paris climate agreement. 

 

The minister stressed the need to recognize the urgency of transforming the nation's food systems and nutrition by fully taking climate action at the heart of the transformative action.

Integrating the country’s food systems transformation and climate action will enable the transformation of resilient, adaptive and sustainable food systems, he said.

This requires leveraging indigenous knowledge, advancing agricultural innovation and integrating climate smart practices across the food system value chain, he emphasized.

Minister of Health Mekdes Daba on her part said that the workshop aims to address a very critical mission which is about transforming Ethiopia’s food system and nutrition landscape.

 

For the health minister, this transformation is essential for the nation’s growth and development, enabling us to ensure access to food security, promote healthy diet, empower vulnerable households and improve nutrition.

The minister also highlighted the country’s profound endeavors on climate change and the collective efforts focusing on implementing climate responsive actions, enabling Ethiopia’s food system transformation roadmap, among others.

The UN Food Systems Coordination Hub Coordinator Khaled El-Taweel for his part commended Ethiopia for implementing the convergence initiative and championing integrated approach for food system transformation and climate action and nutrition aligning national priorities with global commitments.

 

Since the 2021 UN Food Systems Summit, Ethiopia has been taking decisive steps to transform its food systems, he disclosed.

“The Ethiopian national pathway serves as a roadmap for transitioning towards a sustainable inclusive, equitable and resilient food system while addressing the pressing climate change impact,” he added.

Ethiopian Agricultural Transformation Institute Director General Mandefro Nigussie said the convergence initiative brings together diverse actors with complementary knowledge, skill and innovative approaches.

“By aligning the global, national, local efforts, we can address complex and interrelated challenges in more coherent, inclusive and impactful ways.”

The convergence initiative is a unique collaborative effort championed by the Ethiopian government with the support of the UN Food Systems Coordination Hub, development partners and national stakeholders with the aim to strengthen and foster convergence between the EFSTN and climate action, it was learned.