The Director-general of Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), Graziano da Silva has called for a transformative food system in all African countries.
Silva made the call after Africa was identified to have the highest cases of obesity at the 160th session of the FAO Council in Rome, citing the ‘2018 State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World’ report.
“Obesity affects around 672 million people, with Africa increasing faster than any other region. Several billion suffer from diseases caused by vitamin or mineral-deficient diets known as micronutrient deficiencies,” Silva said.
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“The coexistence of undernutrition, obesity and micronutrient deficiencies, what we know as the triple burden of malnutrition, is spreading and affecting almost every country in the world.
“The international community needs to urgently address this situation by promoting transformative change in our food systems,” he added.
“Our Zero Hunger Goal is not just about feeding people, but also providing everyone with the necessary nutrients for a healthy life.”