Key highlights from UNFSS+4

The Zero Hunger Coalition had an exciting albeit intense two days of meetings, side events and panel discussions during the UN Food Systems Summit +4 in Addis Ababa. This included the co-organisation of four side events, the moderation of the Ministerial Roundtable on food sovereignty by the Coalition’s Chair, Dr Ibrahim Mayaki, and the opportunity to meet with numerous government officials and civil society leaders. 

Throughout the Summit, a consensus emerged that to end hunger, countries must adopt an approach that encompasses an agriculture and food systems transformation that tackles hunger and malnutrition alongside rural development, climate resiliency and biodiversity protection.  

Several issues emerged in many of the discussions. First, food systems transformation calls for a multi-sectoral approach. Second, nutrition and accountability are core pillars of food systems transformation. Finally, countries in fragile contexts require support for their long-term development and transformation. 

Food systems transformation requires a multi-sectoral approach 

A number of sessions, including a side event co-organized and moderated by the Zero Hunger Coalition, reinforced the need for a multi-sectoral approach to food systems transformation. During the side event Multisectoral governance to scale up impacts of investment, Dori Patay from the University of Sydney called for an approach that brings together all relevant government ministries. According to a recent study she co-authored, “multi-sectorality is hard but 34 countries have managed.”  

Madagascar is an example of how multi-sectorality can work. As shared by Ianja Raolisoa, Head of Food Security and Nutrition at the Ministry of Agriculture, the country is bringing together multiple ministries, including agriculture, the environment and fisheries alongside academia, civil society, multilateral organisations and the private sector in its Food Systems Transformation Taskforce.  

According to Raoul Mille from the French Permanent Mission in Rome, “multi-sectorality for food security is essential to ensure inclusive systems. In his Ministerial Roundtable, Dr Mayaki reminded the audience that the implementation of solutions requires inclusivity to succeed. 

Nutrition and accountability are key 

Nutrition emerged as an issue that must be tackled using a multisectoral approach. During the side event Making food systems deliver healthy diets, H.E. Sok Silo, Secretary General of the Council for Agriculture and Rural Development in Cambodia explained how the country is focusing on nutrition sensitive agriculture to promote healthy diets for all.  

While Cambodia has made remarkable progress in reducing its levels of hunger – from 24% to 5% in two decades – it is now confronted with a growing problem of obesity and non-communicable diseases. As a result, nutrition has placed at the core of the development agenda and brings together the ministries of health, education, environment, agriculture and rural development. 

However, accountability is needed to track whether food systems are improving diets. As noted by H.E. Ambassador Nosipho Nausca-Jean Jezile, Chair of the Committee on World Food Security in her opening remarks to the side event, “Transforming food systems must make healthy diets a central focus. Success requires accountability mechanisms and sufficient resources. We cannot continue to do the same things and expect different results.”   

In their Call to Action, the African Champions for Nutrition appealed for coordinated action to make healthy diets accessible and affordable for all. Delivered by Hon. Demeke Mekonnen Hassen, former Deputy Prime Minister of Ethiopia, the Call to Action highlighted the need to build systems of accountability and results.  

“As African Leaders for Nutrition, we believe this is the decisive moment to shift from aspiration to implementation—to ensure every child, every mother, every community across Africa has access to the healthy, nutritious food they deserve,” concluded Hon. Demeke Mekonnen Hassen. 

Debt relief is essential to achieve zero hunger 

Debt burden constrains national food systems transformation. According to a recent report by UNCTAD, 3.4 billion people worldwide now live in countries that pay more to service their debts than they spend on public services such as healthcare or education. 

As Hon. Jeremy Lissouba, MP from the Republic of the Congo and Secretary General of AFSPaN noted during the side-event Debt & Food Security in Complex Settings, “these large debt obligations undermine the creditworthiness of countries and limit access to concessional financing. We need to rethink our approach to debt.”  

Innovative financial mechanisms were mentioned. H.E. Gregoire Mutshail Mutomb, Minister of Agriculture for the Democratic Republic of Congo, called for debt swaps to make funding available for climate-resilient agriculture and build infrastructure such as storage and irrigation systems as well as to suspend debt payments in times of crisis.   

Reducing debt offers momentum to countries. In Somalia, USD 4.5 billion of debt has been forgiven, with debt now reduced to 6% of the country’s GDP. According to the Minister of Agriculture and Irrigation, H.E. Mohamed Abdi Hayir, the country is now establishing strong government institutions, working to reduce food insecurity, and adopting policies that prioritise investment and climate resilience. Restructuring debt is essential to unlock funding for resilience-building, especially in contexts shaped by conflict, climate shocks, and economic instability. 

AFSPaN gains prominence 

During the UNFSS+4, the Zero Hunger Coalition had the opportunity to meet with members of the African Food Systems Parliamentary Network (AFSPaN). With the Global Parliamentary Summit in South Africa approaching, more attention is being given to the role of Parliamentarians in helping to end hunger and malnutrition.  

For the Coalition, the members of AFSPaN offer an important link between their local constituency, elected officials in their respective countries and the global food security community. They can also translate global and regional frameworks such as the UN SDGs, Agenda 2063, and the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) into national action.