King Letsie III shown here with the Prime Minister of Ethiopia, addressing the press. Credit- @FAO/SFE

August 24, 2017, Addis Ababa - As part of his awareness and advocacy mission to Ethiopia, FAO’s Special Ambassador for Nutrition, and His Majesty King Letsie III of the Kingdom of Lesotho applauded the Ethiopian leadership for the unwavering political commitment to reduce the level of rural poverty and malnutrition.

During his meeting with Hon. Mulatu Teshome, the Ethiopian President, Hon. Haile-Mariam Desalegn, the Prime Minister, and Hon. Kebede Worku, State Minister of Health, His Majesty said, “Ethiopia is a champion in the fight against child malnutrition, which was reduced by over 20 percent in the past twenty years. King Letsie III further expressed his confidence in the Ethiopian Government to win the fight against malnutrition. To this end, His Majesty noted, “FAO will stand united with the Government of Ethiopia to advance nutrition-sensitive agriculture food systems, which warrants nutritionally diverse micronutrient rich foods, and food fortification to pull out the remaining estimated twelve million people from chronic, transitory or acute malnutrition.”     

Appreciating King Letsie III for choosing Ethiopia for his first mission, the Ethiopian President briefed His Majesty that Ethiopia has experienced a strong and broad-based economic growth over the past few decades, averaging 10.9 percent per year, over double the regional average. This growth, he remarked, is largely attributed to the expansion of the services in the agricultural sectors, and has contributed to poverty reduction and, thereby contributing to reducing malnutrition.

Recognizing the serious health effects of malnutrition, the Prime Minister remarked that since June 2014, the nation has made great strides in reducing by 23 percent the prevalence of stunting and underweight by 32 percent. “Yet we need to intensify efforts to decrease the extensiveness of chronic malnutrition and wasting in children and women, particularly those who have reached their reproductive age,” the Premier said. State Minister of Health, Hon. Kebede also provided His Majesty with the recent data and facts on the state of malnutrition, stunting and child health in Ethiopia.

­­Speaking to farmers, supported by the FAO-Government Joint project in the Southern Nations and Nationalities and Peoples Region, His Majesty commended the community for their dedication and hard work to end malnutrition through small-holder farming. “My visit to farmlands gave me a great hope that malnutrition can be defeated in our life time,” His Majesty said.

Before winding up his mission, His Majesty paid a visit to FAO Subregional Office for Eastern Africa and FAO Ethiopia, where he was briefed on FAO’s work in Ethiopia and the Subregion, unveiled a building dedicated to His Majesty’s role as FAO Nutrition Ambassador, planted a tree and interacted with FAO staff.   

King Letsie III of Lesotho concluded his four-day visit to Ethiopia on August 24, 2017. During his mission, His Majesty has underscored the critical importance of increasing domestic investment to further reduce the rate of malnutrition through nutrition-sensitive agriculture food systems.   

Background:

Malnutrition has become a serious health issue, threatening the progress of developing countries in Africa. Ethiopia is one of the many countries facing this dangerous health challenge. Malnutrition in Ethiopia affects millions of people who are acutely food insecure. Perhaps the worst part of this health issue is the effect malnutrition has on children. According to the study on Cost of Hunger, 44 percent of Ethiopian children under the age of five are suffering from chronic malnourishment, also known as “stunting.”