News

On June 27-30, 2023, the AERC Executive Director, Prof. Théophile Azomahou and AERC staff attended the Agriculture, Nutrition and Health Conference 2023 (ANH23) held at the Bingu International Conference Centre (BICC), Lilongwe, Malawi. The conference was organized by the ANH Academy and co-hosted by the Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources (LUANAR), AERC, and a host of other organizations. The conference was graced by Hon. Khumbize Kandodo Chiponda, MP and Minister for Health, Government of Malawi; Ms. Fiona Ritchie, British High Commissioner to Malawi; Prof. Emmanuel Kaunda, Vice Chancellor, Lilongwe University of Agriculture & Natural Resources (LUANAR); Prof. Suneetha Kadiyala, Professor of Global Nutrition and Director, ANH Academy; and Joe Yates, Co-Director, ANH Academy, among other dignitaries.

AERC used the opportunity to disseminate a paper titled “The Role of Policy in Reducing Malnutrition in Sub-Saharan Africa”. This is an introductory essay for the Special Issue of the Food Policy journal containing twenty papers, of which eight were AERC research papers generated by the AERC-BMGF project, Agricultural and Food Policy Analysis for Nutrition Outcomes (AFPON). The project was concluded in 2022 and ushered in a new AERC-BMGF project titled “Policy Analysis for Sustainable and Healthy Foods in African Retail Markets (PASHFARM). Prof. Shelly Sundberg, the Ag. Director, Agricultural Development, BMGF, with the support of Prof. Azomahou, launched the PASHFARM project on June 29, 2023. The project will rigorously research on markets for nutritious foods to inform policy-making and program design in health and nutrition in sub-Saharan Africa. Also supporting the launch of the PASHFARM project were AERC staff, Mark Korir, Manager- Training; Lanoi Maloiy, Gender Expert- PASHFARM; Maureen Cheserek, Nutrition Expert- PASHFARM, Evar Kiambuthi, Senior Programme Administrator- Training; and Doris Wacharo, Programme Assistant- Training.