By T’soloane Mohlomi
The government of Lesotho will continue enhancing efforts of bolstering good nutrition in the country, this in order to align with pre existing continental commitments.
Speaking at the High level Dialogue on Nutrition Financing, recently held in Maseru, hosted by His Majesty King Letsie III, in his official role as the African Union Nutrition champion, the Right Honourable Prime Minister Samuel Ntsokoane Matekane reaffirmed the need of Lesotho to continue aiding agricultural transformation to facilitate good nutrition.
In opening the Prime Minister, Mr. Samuel Ntsokoane Matekane said it was only in January this year when they gathered in Dakar, Senegal for the Dakar II Summit Feed Africa-Food Sovereignty and Resilience, where heads of state convened to deliberate on mobilizing, aligning government resources, development partners and private sector to unleash Africa’s food production potential.
Prime Minister Matekane said it was in the same summit where a platform was set for governments and development partners to work diligently on compacts that will transform agriculture across Africa.
“Today, as we meet again under the leadership of His Majesty King Letsie III, Head of State of this Kingdom and the African Union Champion on Nutrition for the term 2022-2024, we are only continuing a journey that shall see Africa feed itself and become a bread basket for the World,” he said.
He noted that His Majesty King Letsie III, in his role as the Nutrition Champion strongly advocates for African Heads of States and governments, all relevant partners and stakeholders to support nutrition and food security initiatives.
He stressed that Nutrition is core to the health, well-being, and economic development of this continent, saying all can agree that nutrition can no longer be regarded as a food production issue as it involves every sector within the cycles of food systems thus from farm to fork.
He said to contribute to continental efforts, the government of Lesotho has decided to keep the nutrition coordinating body, the Food and Nutrition Coordination Office in the Office of the Prime Minister to track food and nutrition programmers carried out by implementing agencies.
The Prime minister noted that a decisive step was taken by Members of the Senate to form a Health and Nutrition Portfolio Committee whereas in the National Assembly, all Portfolio Committees are dedicated to supporting food and nutrition initiatives, noting that the government is engaged in various food and nutrition initiatives that are meant to address malnutrition at the grassroots level.
Also speaking, the African Union Commission for Health, Humanitarian Affairs, and Social Development, Ambassador Minata Samaté Cessouma said today’s meeting is intended to ask the bilateral partners and private sector to finance Nutrition.
She noted that nutrition is key hence it is important to continue with the implementation of the road map for nutrition,
She noted that His Majesty is doing a great job in sensitizing member states to prioritize nutrition, saying this cannot go without agriculture as Africa is rich because it has 60 percent of its land which can be dedicated to can be invested in agriculture.
She noted that collaborated effort was crucial as Africa is challenged by climate change and still reeling from ramifications of the Russia-Ukraine war.
The event had attracted participants from international organizations, development partners including Finance Ministers from the Cost of Hunger Countries, African Parliamentarians, some United Nations Agencies, Regional Economic Communities, and the Private Sector.
Government to continue prioritizing nutrition
T’soloane Mohlomi
The government of Lesotho will continue enhancing efforts of bolstering good nutrition in the country, this in order to align with pre existing continental commitments.
Speaking at the High level Dialogue on Nutrition Financing, recently held in Maseru, hosted by His Majesty King Letsie III, in his official role as the African Union Nutrition champion, the Right Honourable Prime Minister Samuel Ntsokoane Matekane reaffirmed the need of Lesotho to continue aiding agricultural transformation to facilitate good nutrition.
In opening the Prime Minister, Mr. Samuel Ntsokoane Matekane said it was only in January this year when they gathered in Dakar, Senegal for the Dakar II Summit Feed Africa-Food Sovereignty and Resilience, where heads of state convened to deliberate on mobilizing, aligning government resources, development partners and private sector to unleash Africa’s food production potential.
Prime Minister Matekane said it was in the same summit where a platform was set for governments and development partners to work diligently on compacts that will transform agriculture across Africa.
“Today, as we meet again under the leadership of His Majesty King Letsie III, Head of State of this Kingdom and the African Union Champion on Nutrition for the term 2022-2024, we are only continuing a journey that shall see Africa feed itself and become a bread basket for the World,” he said.
He noted that His Majesty King Letsie III, in his role as the Nutrition Champion strongly advocates for African Heads of States and governments, all relevant partners and stakeholders to support nutrition and food security initiatives.
He stressed that Nutrition is core to the health, well-being, and economic development of this continent, saying all can agree that nutrition can no longer be regarded as a food production issue as it involves every sector within the cycles of food systems thus from farm to fork.
He said to contribute to continental efforts, the government of Lesotho has decided to keep the nutrition coordinating body, the Food and Nutrition Coordination Office in the Office of the Prime Minister to track food and nutrition programmers carried out by implementing agencies.
The Prime minister noted that a decisive step was taken by Members of the Senate to form a Health and Nutrition Portfolio Committee whereas in the National Assembly, all Portfolio Committees are dedicated to supporting food and nutrition initiatives, noting that the government is engaged in various food and nutrition initiatives that are meant to address malnutrition at the grassroots level.
Also speaking, the African Union Commission for Health, Humanitarian Affairs, and Social Development, Ambassador Minata Samaté Cessouma said today’s meeting is intended to ask the bilateral partners and private sector to finance Nutrition.
She noted that nutrition is key hence it is important to continue with the implementation of the road map for nutrition,
She noted that His Majesty is doing a great job in sensitizing member states to prioritize nutrition, saying this cannot go without agriculture as Africa is rich because it has 60 percent of its land which can be dedicated to can be invested in agriculture.
She noted that collaborated effort was crucial as Africa is challenged by climate change and still reeling from ramifications of the Russia-Ukraine war.
The event had attracted participants from international organizations, development partners including Finance Ministers from the Cost of Hunger Countries, African Parliamentarians, some United Nations Agencies, Regional Economic Communities, and the Private Sector.