The African Research Universities Alliance (ARUA) – UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) Global Challenges Research Fund (GCRF) Food Systems Research Network for Africa (FSNet-Africa) is hosting a joint virtual campaign to commemorate World Food Day on 16 October 2020. The theme of the campaign is “African Action for Zero Hunger”.

World Food Day is celebrated in honour of the establishment of the Food and Agricultural Organisation of the United Nations (FAO). The general focus of the celebrations is on food security, nutrition, and agricultural transformation. In view of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), celebrations in previous years have emphasised accelerating sustainable progress towards SDG2 – Zero Hunger.

The FSNet-Africa campaign aims to highlight important policy choices to secure sustainable food systems for Africa in the future. FSNet-Africa seeks to strengthen food systems research capabilities and the translation of evidence into implementable policy solutions and practical interventions in support of the interrelated Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) targets for Africa (focusing on SDG 2 – Zero Hunger) and the Malabo Declaration on Accelerated Agricultural Growth and Transformation for Shared Prosperity and Improved Livelihoods.

The campaign will include a series of policy-focused vlogs and accompanying blogs, written opinion pieces, a webinar that will be held on World Food Day on 16 October 2020, and a policy brief that synthesises the policy recommendations discussed in the vlog series. The campaign materials can be accessed through the links below:

BLOG #1 October 1 - African Action for Zero Hunger: FSNet-Africa Launches World Food Day Campaign

VLOG #1 October 1 - FSNet-Africa World Food Day Campaign: African Action for Zero Hunger

BLOG #2 October 2 - Can the sub-Saharan African Food System be climate-smart and nutrition-sensitive?

VLOG #2 October 2 - Can the sub-Saharan African Food System be climate-smart and nutrition-sensitive?

BLOG #3 October 5 - African Food Systems: Science and Partnerships for Impact

VLOG #3 October 5 - African Food Systems: Science and Partnerships for Impact

BLOG #4 October 5 - Research and Innovation Priorities for African Food Systems

VLOG #4 October 5 - Research and Innovation Priorities for African Food Systems

BLOG #5 October 6 - How can conservation agriculture help African farmers combat climate change

VLOG #5 October 6 - How can conservation agriculture help African farmers combat climate change

BLOG #6 October 7 - Simple solutions for a balanced diet during the COVID-19 pandemic

VLOG #6 October 7 - Simple solutions for a balanced diet during the COVID-19 pandemic

BLOG #7 October 8 - The Global Food and Environment Institute: Addressing global food systems challenges

VLOG #7 October 8 - The Global Food and Environment Institute: Addressing global food systems challenges

BLOG #8 October 9 - World Food Day: A Science Communicator's Perspective

VLOG #8 October 9 - World Food Day: A Science Communicator's Perspective

BLOG #9 October 12 - A Reflection on Progress in Achieving Zero Hunger in Africa

VLOG #9 October 12 - A Reflection on Progress in Achieving Zero Hunger in Africa

BLOG #10 October 13 - Why water policies in Africa need to change

VLOG #10 October 13 - Why water policies in Africa need to change

Opinion piece #1 October 13 - All are responsible for child nutrition

BLOG #11 October 14 - The role of the Media in Achieving Zero Hunger

VLOG #11 October 14 - The role of the Media in Achieving Zero Hunger

BLOG #12 October 15 - Partnerships and Capacity Building for Sustainable Development

VLOG #12 October 15 - Partnerships and Capacity Building for Sustainable Development

Opinion piece #2 October 18 - Why a Zimbabwean farming project failed: Lessons for rural innovation

Opinion piece #3 October 20 - Africa's Agricultural Transformation and the Role of African Higher Education

The campaign is organised in collaboration with the University of Pretoria (UP); the University of Leeds (UoL), with support from the UoL Global Food and Environment Institute (GFEI); and the Food, Agriculture, and National Resources Policy Analysis Network (FANRPAN).

This article is published as part of a joint campaign for World Food Day led by the ARUA-UKRI GCRF Food Systems Research Network for Africa (FSNet-Africa) in partnership with the Food, Agriculture, and Natural Resources Policy Analysis Network (FANRPAN), the University of Leeds’ Global Food and Environment Institute (GFEI), and the GCRF-AFRICAP Project. You can follow our campaign on Twitter @FSNetAFrica or visit our partners’ websites over the next two weeks - FANRPAN, GFEI, and GCRF-AFRICAP.