Last Tuesday, stakeholders in Ethiopia’s food system came together to discuss how to improve the sustainability, affordability, and health of diets in the Addis Ababa metropolitan area. The goal of the EcoFoodSystems workshop, which is being led by the University of Galway and supported by the European Union and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), is to prioritise research with food systems partners for more sustainable, cost-effective, and healthful diets in Addis Ababa. Partners include Wageningen University and Research (WUR), Rikolto, and the Ethiopian Public Health Institute.
With an emphasis on nutritionally marginalised consumers in the urban area, the workshop prioritised crucial research topics and decision-support tools that are necessary to accelerate progress using a food systems stakeholder participatory approach. The University of Galway is spearheading the EcoFoodSystems project in collaboration with Wageningen University and Research (WUR) and Rikolto to tackle the twin problems of malnutrition and unsustainable food systems. Urban centres like Addis Ababa will be essential for influencing what farmers grow and encouraging dietary changes, as 70% of the world’s population is predicted to live in cities by 2050. The Addis Ababa food system encompasses a rural-urban continuum and involves everyone from farmers and traders to processors, retailers, and consumers.
At the core of the workshop’s mission is research to accelerate and inform the fight against the twin burdens of undernutrition and overnutrition, which disproportionately affect the marginalised communities in Addis Ababa. Undernutrition impairs children’s growth and cognitive development, while overnutrition increases the risk of chronic diseases like diabetes and heart disease in adults. The twin burdens of malnutrition result in a health crisis that spreads, putting a strain on public resources and preventing economic growth. The workshop’s research focus is on creating more affordable, healthier, and sustainable diets that are also more resilient to climate shocks and other disruptions.
The event was attended by Dr. Masresha Tessema of the Ethiopian Public Health Institute, Mrs. Hiwot Darsane of the Federal Ministry of Health, Mr. Roberto Schiliro, Head of Cooperation at the European Union Delegation to Ethiopia, and Viviane Filippi of the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD). The EcoFoodSystems project is a crucial first step in addressing the interconnected issues of climate resilience, unsustainable food systems, and malnutrition. By means of this workshop, we can ensure that our research is motivated by demand and directly contributes to our partners’ efforts to improve the dietary habits of the people of Addis Ababa.
The EcoFoodSystems Project Leader at the Ryan Institute of the University of Galway in Ireland is Prof. Charles Spillane. “By bringing together diverse stakeholders, we can co-create solutions that make healthy and sustainable diets accessible to everyone, especially those who are most marginalised,” said Dr. Masresha Tessema of the Ethiopian Public Health Institute.