How we can keep malnutrition at bay in Africa

Nutrition is at the core of human and social development. Enshrined in fundamental rights, nutrition is an investment in human capital contributing to economic growth, poverty reduction, resilience to climate change and better education.

Nonetheless, one third of the world population is affected by the triple burden of malnutrition: undernutrition, macronutrient deficiencies and overweight. We need to act. On March 27 and 28, 2025, France will host a Nutrition For Growth summit in Paris. This summit will mobilise the international community, including development banks and civil society actors, to maintain a high level of political and financial engagement towards ending malnutrition.

Kenya is one of the most committed countries in this fight. It has made substantive progress in reducing the prevalence of stunting (impaired growth and development), dropping from 26 per cent of the population in 2014 to 18 per cent in 2022. Kenya is also one of the 30 countries contributing to the summit agenda. However, geographical, socio-economic and demographic disparities are still evident, including in urban areas. Half of Kenyan adult men and women could be overweight or obese in the future. France is working with Kenya to respond to this problem through concrete actions.

Firstly, we support major school feeding programmes. In Nairobi County, France is partnering with Food 4 Education to ensure vulnerable public primary and pre-primary pupils receive a free nutritious school meal every day. France allocated a one million euros grant directly channelled to Food 4 Education, which provides hot meals using locally-sourced ingredients.

Our funding offsets the Sh5 contribution of the parents, making meals free for pupils. By the end of 2024, 29,000 pupils across Nairobi County received a quality meal every day thanks to this grant. Secondly, we support projects that improve nutritional outcomes for children, pregnant and lactating women while strengthening food security for populations affected by drought and flooding.

Last week, in Homa Bay County, I visited a dispensary that supports on a daily basis, 1700 displaced households, providing food supplements, cash transfers and medical assistance. This programme is implemented in the entire country by UNICEF and the Kenya Red Cross. France dedicated 1,5 million euros to this programme in 2024.

Thirdly, French researchers are closely working with their colleagues from the African Population and Health Research Centre to develop healthy food by empowering local communities and by integrating food systems with health systems for a healthy diet. In collaboration with the International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (Icipe), alternative nutritious food source including insects are promoted. This week, on the occasion of a pre-summit roundtable organised in collaboration with the Ministry of Health at the Alliance française of Nairobi, the guests enjoyed the taste of some of these products.

Finally, French private investors support innovation in the agri-food sector in Kenya. A French investment structure, Creadev, is the main investor in Victory Farms, a company supplying 60 million affordable fishes every year to Kenyans through the aquaculture of tilapias in Lake Victoria.

As a high level delegation from Kenya is expected in Paris next month, let’s continue working together to meet the global challenge of ending malnutrition in all its forms.

-The writer is the Ambassador of France to Kenya and Somalia