The FIRST program is a partnership between the European Union (EU) and the Food, Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). FIRST has worked hand in glove with governments of 35 countries since mid- 2015.It has carried out an exercise to identify the key bottlenecks as well as current and emerging challenges that hamper the achievement of the targets of Sustainable Development Goal 2 (SDG 2).
This in mind, The Ethiopian Herald has just approached Maya Hageali who is policy officer of the FIRST program run in partnership among FAO , EU, Ethiopian MOA, to discuss on how the agricultural and nutritional policy of Ethiopia that promises change in the reducing the rate of malnourishment and to effect zero hunger is faring.
She remarked that “we have been working since February 2017. The FIRST program is to see to assistance, facilitation to lead the objective and accelerate activity accomplishment of sustainable development goals to end about zero hunger. It increases food security and agricultural sustainability further strengthening the partnership between FAO and EU in terms of agricultural endeavors.
“The three parties FAO, EU and MoA of Ethiopia want to achieve and enhance institutionalization of nutrition and agriculture by creating enabling environment in nutrition and agricultural sector. This is because there is a high malnutrition rate in Ethiopia that is the chronic labeling at 38 percent, according to the demographic survey of 2016. This is very high in number. In spite of this fact, Ethiopia achieves a lot in reducing the rate to 48 percent. But the number is very high in affecting millions of children under 5. This has long term implication on human capital. The achievement of these children’s potential will be imminent if handled with critical manner,” she added.
As to her, children become less productive when they are adult. They become less productive in school. The country is already losing 60 percent of its GDP. This is due to under- nutrition that takes place in the country of the people under discussion. Because of this, there should be national momentum to address malnutrition. And MoA has to be ready to start nation-based agricultural strategy. They come to request for the First program to create better environment for the nutrition program.
“We only work with the institutions of MoA. The ministry has some kind of existing framework. It is better to move forward for the implementation program of the policies and strategies of the country,” she noted.
“We support on institutional of the existing strategies with the framework of new development program. Policies and strategies are the multi-sectorial at national level. So, we support the operational and realization of the programs of the country through means of creating and understanding the best experiences of other countries. We deal on what could be implemented to make sure for the rewriting of the activities and outcomes.We are looking for the betterment of the people of the country,” she pointed out.
According to the policy officer, they are also working on the capacity development both at organization and individual levels. They would like to thank MoA for due attention regarding nutrition at higher level. They feel they are indebted to the exerted coordination framework of nutrition program of the country, which will lead to better results in agricultural and nutrition sub-sectors.
She further noted that “this is something I will call it, transformative. Transformative is not only visible in Ethiopia but also in Africa. So, we need to have such entities to mandate and formulate the agricultural program. Without having political leader and a sense of ownership for the program, nothing will be achieved. We work on as well coordinate the government through means of subsiding food security and nutrition.
She indicated that “ here also, MOA has ownership due to the fact that there is a high-level agreement to develop the nutritional program. Nutrition is also part of the goal of the country. The coordination offices should be working hand in glove with the program of rural development. “We lost the operational network of the agricultural platform. And the government must actively engage with development partners, civil societies, NGOs, private sectors and other ministries of the country,” she added.
“Everybody must be able to link to nutrition and agricultural programs. All kinds of things must be synchronized. The investment programs of the country have to be done in the right way to reach the objectives of MoA and SDGs. Such a program should improve its diversity and better integrate nutrition with part of agricultural approach from farm to folk and market to consumption. Without the implementation of the program, we cannot do by ourselves. It is the public sector. There should be a movement of all partners with operational platform. So far, it goes with respective way of integration,” she remarked.
She further mentioned that she would like to thank the support of FAO and EU in this partnership which is achievable at global and regional level. The role of the relationship between two organizations has an impact in the demand of food supply and food security, nutrition and agriculture to join forces and work with institutional framework for the action of sustainable development Goals. All of that cannot be done without having a sense of ownership.
The Ethiopian Herald Sunday Edition 15 December 2019
BY MEHARI BEYENE
