16th Multidisciplinary Team Meeting in West Africa Held in Praia, Cabo Verde, from 19 to 22 November 2024, Under the Theme of Social Protection

Praia, Cabo Verde - The closing ceremony of the 16th Multidisciplinary Team Meeting (MDT16) in West Africa was held in Praia, Cabo Verde, to the rhythm of “Batuku”, the traditional music and dance of Cabo Verde. The event was organized under the theme: "Bridging Sectors: Enhancing Resilience of Food and Nutrition Security through Social Protection in West Africa”.

"Social protection emerges as a fundamental pillar in our efforts to address the complex challenges faced by rural populations while fostering inclusive and sustainable development in Africa. Through its preventive, protective, promotional, and transformative functions, social protection plays a crucial role in combating the root causes of poverty and vulnerability. It is imperative to intensify actions, particularly for those who rely on our agrifood systems for their livelihoods, to promote inclusive rural transformation," stated Dr. Abebe Haile-Gabriel, Assistant Director-General and FAO Regional Representative for Africa.

The ceremony was presided over by the Secretary of State for Social Inclusion, Ms. Lídia Lima, in the presence of several officials from West African governments and diplomatic representatives from the subregion.

FAO’s Commitment to Supporting Governments

Supporting governments and regional economic organizations to strengthen social protection systems remains a key priority for FAO in West Africa and the Sahel. "FAO is committed to helping governments design more inclusive and shock-responsive social protection systems closely linked to the agricultural sector and food systems", reiterated Dr. Gouantoueu Robert Guei, FAO Subregional Coordinator for West Africa and the Sahel. He explained that such systems enable rural populations "to adopt improved production practices, make sustainable choices for a better environment, and achieve better nutrition and life in general, in line with FAO’s Strategic Framework – leaving no one behind."

"Furthermore, FAO will continue to foster dialogue among stakeholders to promote the expansion of social protection, particularly for rural populations and those engaged in agriculture, fisheries, forestry, and related sectors," he emphasized.

Key Recommendations from MDT16

Over four days of discussions among various stakeholders—technical experts, senior officials from ministries of agriculture, rural development, livestock, fisheries, and social protection in member states, regional economic communities, specialized subregional institutions, UN agencies, producer organizations, civil society representatives, beneficiaries, and private and public sector actors—strong recommendations were adopted. These recommendations aim to accelerate the integration of social protection into agrifood systems with a focus on resilience, inclusivity, and sustainability. They align with regional priorities and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), fostering collaboration among stakeholders to tackle shared challenges and opportunities in West Africa and the Sahel.

Key recommendations include expanding social protection coverage, promoting school feeding and nutrition programs as a priority social protection measure, improving digital tools for beneficiaries (such as farmer registries, e-extension platforms, and e-payments), and enhancing resilience through climate-sensitive approaches.

Other important recommendations focus on extending social protection instruments to include climate financing, climate-smart agricultural practices, land tenure security mechanisms, sustainable water management, and adaptive risk reduction strategies. Participants also proposed consultations to develop regional and national programs aimed at reducing post-harvest losses and food waste in priority value chains.

Regional Investment and Climate Financing

The MDT 16 participants also emphasized the need to explore the possibility of establishing a regional investment program and securing adequate financing to support the integration of social protection into the transformation of agrifood systems in West Africa.

Ms. Bintia Stephen-Tchicaya, Senior Policy Officer at FAO Subregional Office for West Africa and FAO Representative in Liberia, reiterated these priorities with new proposals: "The 16th multidisciplinary team meeting in Praia brought together diverse actors from the agrifood system and social protection, including farmer organizations, governments, and the private sector. A major conclusion is the urgent need to improve social protection coverage in West Africa. Today, only 13% of the population benefits from some form of social protection. One key recommendation is to integrate social protection into public policies and link it to rural development programs. We also identified priority actions, including concrete measures to reduce vulnerabilities and promote inclusive agrifood systems. However, the disparity in countries’ capacities to ensure universal coverage remains a significant challenge. To address this, in addition to mobilizing domestic resources, we encourage countries to incorporate social protection into international funding mechanisms such as the Green Climate Fund (GCF) and the Global Environment Facility (GEF). These resources can support vulnerable rural populations while addressing climate challenges."

Field Visits by MDT16 Participants in Cabo Verde

During the meeting, participants visited the municipality of São Domingos. They toured the experimental center of the National Institute for Agricultural Research and Development (INIDA) to learn about agricultural research, pest control, innovations, and their impact on sustainable agricultural practices and food security in Cabo Verde. One group of participants visited São Domingos Primary School, where FAO collaborated with the Cabo Verde government to address the food insecurity crisis of 2021-2022 by strengthening social protection through school feeding projects. Another group traveled to Ribeira dos Picos valley in Santa Cruz, a key region for agricultural production and exports in Cabo Verde. The area also hosts the largest agrifood complex and engages in fishing and livestock activities. Finally, participants visited a desalination plant that supplies water for agricultural irrigation in several areas of São Domingos, including Baía, Praia Baixo, Móia-Móia, Achada Baleia, and other locations.

"During our field visit, we observed how the government mobilizes more water for agriculture sustainably through agricultural policies. This reflects a policy of access and inclusion. We also visited a school that is part of a program providing warm, nutritious meals to around 86,000 children across all municipalities during the school year”, stated Ms. Ana Touza, FAO Representative in Cabo Verde.