Tackling Obesity in Africa Through Sustainable Food Systems and Consumption Practices

 

Source: agsinger.com

Obesity is a severe form of overweight and leads to a higher risk of developing insulin resistance and high blood pressure, as well as life-threatening diseases later in life, including type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and certain cancers.

It is emerging as a pressing public health challenge across Africa. Traditionally associated with high-income countries, obesity is now rising in African nations due to rapid urbanisation, dietary transitions, and sedentary lifestyles (Popkin et al., 2020).

The World Health Organisation (WHO, 2023) estimates that over 18 million African adults are obese, with prevalence expected to increase as processed and energy-dense foods dominate diets. Addressing this challenge requires a systemic shift towards sustainable food systems and healthier consumption practices that can simultaneously improve nutrition, safeguard the environment, and promote long-term resilience.

Furthermore, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) released a Global Report titled: The 2025 Child Nutrition Report – ‘Feeding Profit: How food environments are failing children’, which reveals how unhealthy food environments are contributing to the worldwide surge in overweight and obesity in children and adolescents. 

The Report warns that as countries like Uganda and others in Africa transition to middle-income status, ultra-processed foods and beverages become more widely available and more affordable, increasing the prevalence of overweight among children across all household income levels.

What can be done to offset this danger? To what extent can sustainable food systems be part of the solution?

Sustainable Food Systems for Healthier Diets

Sustainable food systems provide safe, nutritious food while preserving the environment, supporting livelihoods, and promoting equity (FAO, 2018). For Africa, strengthening such systems is key to reversing obesity trends. One approach is boosting local production and consumption of traditional nutrient-rich crops such as millet, sorghum, beans, and leafy vegetables. 

These foods are less processed, have lower carbon footprints, and contribute to dietary diversity (Hawkes et al., 2020). Initiatives in Ethiopia and Nigeria promoting indigenous grains have been linked to healthier dietary choices and lower reliance on imported ultra-processed foods (Akinola et al., 2021).

Boosting Traditional Crops through Schools

Schools are powerful platforms for promoting sustainable diets and preventing obesity. Integrating traditional crops into school feeding programmes creates demand for local agriculture while shaping healthier eating habits in children.

The Home-Grown School Feeding Programme (HGSF) promoted by the World Food Programme (WFP) in countries such as Nigeria, Ghana, and Kenya sources local grains, legumes, and vegetables for school meals (WFP, 2020). This improves child nutrition while providing smallholder farmers with predictable markets. In Ghana, linking school meals to yam, cowpea, and millet production has enhanced both student nutrition outcomes and farmer incomes (Aurino et al., 2019).

School gardens and nutrition education further reinforce healthy habits. In Uganda, the “School Garden Initiative” teach children to grow amaranth and cowpeas, linking classroom learning with practical skills (FAO, 2021). Targeting schools also prevents early exposure to sugary drinks and energy-dense snacks, which are strong predictors of overweight later in life (Popkin et al., 2020). Embedding agriculture, education, and health objectives into school feeding policies ensures that boosting traditional food consumption becomes part of a sustainable, multi-sectoral strategy.

South Africa: A Case Study

South Africa faces one of the highest obesity rates in Africa, with nearly 40% of adult women classified as obese (WHO, 2023). The government introduced a tax on sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) in 2018, resulting in reduced purchases of sugary drinks and lower calorie intake, particularly among lower-income households (Stacey et al., 2022). Complementing this, South Africa’s “Food-Based Dietary Guidelines” encourage culturally relevant, healthier diets emphasising fruits, vegetables, and legumes (Vorster et al., 2013). Together, these interventions illustrate how fiscal policies and education can promote sustainable consumption.

Comparative Lessons from Latin America

Latin America provides additional lessons for Africa. Mexico’s 2014 SSB tax led to sustained reductions in sugary drink purchases, especially among low-income households (Colchero et al., 2017). Beyond taxation, Mexico and Chile implemented front-of-package warning labels to guide consumer choices and restrict misleading marketing to children (Taillie et al., 2020). These measures demonstrate that combining fiscal and regulatory policies can amplify the impact of programs promoting traditional, nutritious foods.

Challenges and Opportunities

Despite these opportunities, challenges remain. Poverty and food insecurity lead many Africans to prioritise affordability over nutrition (Popkin et al., 2020). Weak regulatory frameworks and limited enforcement capacity hinder efforts to control aggressive marketing by multinational food corporations. Cultural perceptions linking overweight with prosperity also complicate behavioural change (Steyn & Temple, 2022). Nonetheless, integrating obesity prevention into broader development strategies—including local agriculture, school feeding, and fiscal measures—offers promising pathways for sustainable impact.

Recommendations for Africa

Integrate Indigenous Crops into School Feeding Programmes

• Prioritise nutrient-rich local foods in school meals and support smallholder farmers through procurement contracts.
• Include school gardens and nutrition education to reinforce lifelong healthy habits.

Implement Fiscal and Regulatory Measures

• Expand SSB taxes and introduce warning labels on ultra-processed foods.
• Restrict marketing of unhealthy foods to children and adolescents.

Promote Urban and Rural Food Environments that Support Healthy Diets

• Invest in urban agriculture and local markets to improve access to traditional foods.
• Regulate the density of fast food establishments around schools and workplaces.

Strengthen Cross-Sectoral Policy Coordination

• Integrate agriculture, health, and education policies to address obesity, malnutrition, and sustainability simultaneously.
• Encourage public-private partnerships for food innovation and the distribution of nutrient-rich local foods.
• Monitor and evaluate interventions to inform iterative policy improvements.

Conclusion

Africa’s rising obesity challenge reflects unsustainable food systems and consumption patterns. By promoting indigenous crops through school feeding, regulating urban food environments, incentivising healthier choices, and reshaping consumer demand, African countries can build sustainable, health-promoting food systems. 

South Africa’s SSB tax demonstrates the effectiveness of fiscal measures, while lessons from Latin America highlight the added value of labelling and marketing regulations. Implementing these strategies collectively positions Africa to reduce obesity, enhance nutrition, and foster sustainable development.

References

• Akinola, R., Pereira, L., Mabhaudhi, T., de Bruin, F., & Rusch, L. (2021). A review of indigenous food crops in Africa and the implications for sustainable food systems. Sustainability, 13(2), 1–19.
• Aurino, E., Tranchant, J. P., Sekou Diallo, A., & Gelli, A. (2019). School feeding or general food distribution? Quasi-experimental evidence on the educational impacts of emergency food assistance during conflict in Mali. Journal of Development Studies, 55(1), 7–28.
• Colchero, M. A., Rivera-Dommarco, J., Popkin, B. M., & Ng, S. W. (2017). In Mexico, evidence of sustained consumer response two years after implementing a sugar-sweetened beverage tax. Health Affairs, 36(3), 564–571.
• FAO. (2018). Sustainable food systems: Concept and framework. Food and Agriculture Organization.
• FAO. (2021). School gardens for education and health. Food and Agriculture Organization.
• Hawkes, C., Ruel, M. T., Salm, L., Sinclair, B., & Branca, F. (2020). Double-duty actions: Seizing programme and policy opportunities to address malnutrition in all its forms. Lancet, 395(10218), 142–155.
• Popkin, B. M., Corvalan, C., & Grummer-Strawn, L. M. (2020). Dynamics of the double burden of malnutrition and the changing nutrition reality. Lancet, 395(10217), 65–74.
• Stacey, N., et al. (2022). Changes in beverage purchases following the implementation of a sugar-based tax in South Africa. Health Economics, 31(3), 475–491.
• Steyn, N. P., & Temple, N. J. (2022). Evidence to support a food-based dietary guideline on sugar consumption in Africa. South African Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 35(2), 56–62.
• Taillie, L. S., et al. (2020). An evaluation of Chile’s law of food labelling and advertising on sugar-sweetened beverage purchases from 2015 to 2017. PLOS Medicine, 17(2), e1003015.
• United Nations Children’s Fund (2025), Feeding Profit. How food environments are failing children. Child Nutrition Report 2025, Report Brief, UNICEF, New York, September 2025 https://www.unicef.org/reports/feeding-profit
• Vorster, H. H., et al. (2013). The development of South African food-based dietary guidelines for adults. South African Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 26(3), S5–S12.
• WFP. (2020). State of school feeding worldwide 2020. World Food Programme.
• WHO. (2023). Obesity and overweight – Africa region. World Health Organisation.

Saving Lukindu: A Call to Conserve Uganda’s Wild Date Palm

                                                Source: Wikipedia

This wild date palm, scientifically known as Phoenix reclinata  and popularly known as Lukindu (Luganda), Lusansa (Lusoga), Itchi (Madi), Ekikindu (Runyankore), grows in dense clumps beside swamps and rivers with a slender mature trunk that may reach 10 metres, and often bent over (‘reclinata’).

It has enormous uses, including: providing quality charcoal, timber (for local doors, and has been widely used to bridge waterways and when constructing pit latrines, fence posts, as it is not easily attacked by termites and other pests. It yields yellow-brown fruits (mpirivuma) that are processed to make a coffee-like beverage that is reportedly caffeine–free and is now locally processed and packaged for sale in Kampala and other areas. Its leaves are important for ornamental purposes, for roofing, basketry, and mats.

Every year on Palm Sunday, the tree suffers tremendously as many Christians reach out for its leaves to celebrate this event.

Unfortunately, little effort has been put into conserving and/or replenishing it. As early as 1995, AB Kitende, Ann Birnie and Bo Tengnas, in a book: Useful Trees and Shrubs for Uganda – Technical Handbook No. 10 (Regional Soil Conservation Unit/ SIDA, noted that Phoenix reclinata  has been overharvested in Uganda and requires immediate attention by replanting and restricting the removal of all leaves.

During this year's National Tree Planting Day, communities, businesses and Christians country-wide should be vanguards to do something – to conserve this wild palm wherever it is, to replant it using the suckers that they may have access to. They can also consider raising it from its seeds in the long run as part of the  ROOTs Campaign. Seed is probably best sown as soon as it is ripe in containers, and germination usually takes place within 2 - 3 months.

The Map to Resilience: Uniting Science, Finance, and Justice for Africa’s Climate Future

A diversity of foods from Uganda (photo: Kimbowa Richard)

The 13th Conference on Climate Change and Development in Africa (CCDA-XII) will take place in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, from Friday, September 5, to Sunday, 7, 2025. This year, the Conference will convene under the theme “Empowering Africa’s Climate Action with Science, Finance and Just Transition”.

CCDA -XIII, occurring just a few days ahead of the second Africa Climate Summit (ACS-2), will serve as the technical segment that provides a crucial foundation for ACS-2, focusing on strengthening resilience, fostering green growth and scaling up climate finance.

The backdrop of this is that  Africa stands at a critical juncture in the global climate crisis. Despite contributing less than 4% of global greenhouse gas emissions (IEA, 2022), the continent remains one of the most vulnerable to climate change.

From prolonged droughts in the Horn of Africa to devastating floods in West Africa, the impacts are intensifying. Empowering Africa’s climate action demands a dynamic interplay of science, finance, and a just transition—underpinned by the foundational role of enabling infrastructure such as climate mapping systems.

Science: Mapping the Path Forward

Science is essential to building climate resilience, but the quality and availability of data matter just as much. Climate mapping systems—such as geospatial tools, hazard maps, and ecosystem vulnerability indices—serve as critical infrastructure for planning, monitoring, and prioritising adaptation and mitigation actions. These systems help identify risk-prone areas, allocate resources efficiently, and inform resilient infrastructure development.

For instance, Africa’s Geo-Referenced Infrastructure and Demographic Data for Development (GRID3) and regional climate services are helping countries like Zambia and Nigeria plan more targeted interventions (UNDP, 2021). These tools not only enhance scientific decision-making but also increase transparency, which is key to unlocking public and private climate finance.

Finance: Scaling with Data and Confidence

Climate finance remains a major bottleneck. Africa receives only about 3% of global climate finance flows (CPI, 2023). Investors—especially from the private sector—often hesitate due to perceived risks and lack of data. This is where mapping systems become strategic: by providing evidence-based risk assessments and investment maps, they reduce uncertainty and help structure bankable projects.

Public finance institutions and development banks are more likely to fund programs that are data-driven and clearly targeted. Likewise, private financiers look for investment-grade information on climate risks, potential returns, and socio-economic impact. Mapping systems provide this clarity and are essential for blended finance models that combine concessional and commercial capital.

Just Transition: Inclusive and Informed

A just transition ensures climate action is equitable, participatory, and inclusive. Millions of Africans still lack access to modern energy or formal employment. As countries shift toward green growth, mapping tools can guide where interventions are needed most—such as off-grid solar in rural areas, sustainable agriculture zones, or regions in need of re-skilling programs.

Moreover, by integrating social and gender-disaggregated data into mapping platforms, policymakers can ensure no vulnerable group is left behind. This strengthens social buy-in and ensures that the green transition supports communities rather than displacing them.

Conclusion

Science equips Africa with the tools to act, finance provides the means to scale, and a just transition ensures fairness. Crucially, mapping systems act as the connective tissue between them—translating complex data into actionable insights that attract investment and deliver impact.

For Africa to lead in climate adaptation and resilience, these systems must be prioritised as core infrastructure. With the right investments and partnerships, Africa can chart a climate-smart, inclusive, and prosperous future.

Hence, the Second Africa Climate Summit has to realise the need to treat and advance science as a sustainability enabler and game-changer. Once this is appreciated at the political level across the continent, it will be much easier to convince climate financiers (with hard evidence), and to crowd in private investment to scale adaptation and mitigation. In turn, this will unlock opportunities to improve livelihoods in this region.

References

·         IEA (2022). Africa Energy Outlook 2022. International Energy Agency.

·         IPCC (2023). Sixth Assessment Report. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.

·         Climate Policy Initiative (CPI) (2023). Global Landscape of Climate Finance 2023.

·         UNDP (2021). Mapping a Sustainable Future: GRID3 Applications in Africa.

·         African Development Bank (2021). Africa Adaptation Acceleration Program (AAAP).

 

Beyond Symbolism: How Uganda’s National Tree-Planting Day 2025 Can Spark Real Change

Shea butter tree seedlings in Nebbi (photo: Kimbowa Richard)

The Ugandan Government, through the Ministry of Water and Environment's Forestry Sector Support Department (FSSD), launched the Running Out Of Trees (ROOTs) Campaign —an ambitious public-private initiative aimed at restoring the country’s lost forest cover in 2019. This campaign, which focuses on reforestation, restoration, and forest conservation, has a goal: to plant 200 million trees by 2026, equivalent to 40 million trees annually, symbolising a tree for every Ugandan.

This campaign addresses a pressing environmental crisis. Between 1990 and 2023, Uganda's forest cover decreased from 24% to 12.2%. Alarmingly, 65% of this deforestation occurs on private land, often due to the expansion of agriculture, industry, and settlements.

Forestry contributes 6% to Uganda’s GDP, and over 90% of the population depends on wood-based energy such as firewood and charcoal. The stakes are high, and the ROOTs campaign offers a path toward environmental and socio-economic renewal.

ROOTs Progress and Milestones

Launched in 2020 with only five private sector partners, the campaign has since grown significantly. By 2023, over 30 stakeholders, including companies, religious institutions, schools, government agencies, and development partners, had joined the effort.

ROOTS prioritises indigenous tree species, such as:
· Khaya anthotheca (African mahogany)
· Melicia excelsa (Muvule)
· Afzelia africana, Prunus africana, Shea-butter tree, Canarium schweinfurthii, Warburgia ugandensis, and fruit trees

At a recent meeting in Kampala, Dr Alfred Okot Okidi, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Water and Environment, noted that Uganda had slightly exceeded 50% of its tree-planting target, despite setbacks from the COVID-19 pandemic.

National Tree Planting Day 2025: More Than Just a Gesture

The upcoming National Tree Planting Day, scheduled for October 3, 2025, will be launched at Busoga College Mwiri in Eastern Uganda and simultaneously observed across the country. Citizens will be encouraged to plant at least one tree each.

However, for this event to spark real transformation, it must be more than symbolic. Uganda can learn from tree-planting successes across the Global South—where nations have turned such efforts into mass movements combining climate action, livelihoods, and cultural identity.

Global Lessons Uganda Can Learn From

1. Make It a Movement, Not Just a Day

Ethiopia’s Green Legacy Initiative is a stellar example. In 2019, Ethiopians planted over 353 million trees in a single day, contributing to over 40 billion trees planted since 2019 (Associated Press, 2025).

Lesson: Uganda could extend the planting into a National Tree Week, giving communities time to prepare, plant, and nurture seedlings—turning the campaign into a true national movement.

2. Focus on Survival, Not Just Numbers

The real success lies in the number of trees that survive, not just those planted. Ethiopia tracks survival rates and assigns caretaking responsibilities, though it has faced criticism for insufficient reporting and the use of non-native species.

Lesson: Uganda should adopt scientific monitoring, prioritise indigenous species, and ensure community-based stewardship.

3. Use Media & Influencers to Drive Awareness

Rwanda’s Umuganda initiative blends tree planting with national service, amplified through radio, social media, and mass mobilisation.

Lesson: Engage musicians, athletes, religious leaders, and media (for example, partnering with popular TV and FM radio station programmes) to inspire nationwide participation, backed by entertainment events, public walks, and sermons leading up to planting week.

4. Match Species to Ecology and Livelihoods

Kenya’s Tree Restoration Campaign aligns tree species with local ecosystems—using indigenous varieties for forests and fast-growing timber or fruit trees on farms.

Lesson: Uganda should tailor planting efforts to local environments and livelihood opportunities, ensuring ecological resilience, social acceptance and economic value.

5. Link Planting with Jobs and Income

Pakistan’s Ten Billion Tree Tsunami created green jobs, especially in rural areas, through nursery work, caretaking, and community forest management.

Lesson: Uganda can generate employment through the ROOTs campaign by empowering communities in tree production, monitoring, and care.

6. Celebrate Tree Planting as a Cultural Festival

India’s Van Mahotsav is a week-long “Great Forest Festival” held each July. Rooted in national history and spirituality, it mobilises schools, communities, and faith groups with music, storytelling, competitions, and education.

Lesson: Uganda can integrate tree planting with cultural expression—drawing from its 56 tribes (including vibrant and forward-looking traditional leaders) and diverse spiritual traditions to build a multi-generational, culturally resonant movement.

Conclusion: From Counting Trees to Cultivating Change

For Uganda, success must go beyond seedling counts. The ROOTs campaign must deliver measurable environmental impact, community ownership, and economic benefits. By embracing lessons from the Global South, Uganda can transform National Tree Planting Day into the beginning of a lasting restoration journey—one rooted in people, purpose, and planet.

References

· Associated Press (2025). Ethiopia to plant 700 million trees in a day | AP News: https://apnews.com/article/ethiopia-prime-minister-tree-planting-campaign-6658d3c115738702a6a679b0eea43f30

· CGIAR (2020). Ethiopia to grow 5 billion trees in the Second Green Legacy Campaign https://www.cgiar.org/news-events/news/ethiopia-to-grow-5-billion-trees-in-the-second-green-legacy-campaign/

· Government of Kenya (2025). National tree growing restoration campaign hits 780 million mark | Kenya News Agency https://www.kenyanews.go.ke/national-tree-growing-restoration-campaign-hits-780-million-mark/

· ROOTs Campaign (2025). Running Out of Trees https://www.linkedin.com/company/running-out-of-trees/posts/?feedView=all

· TotalEnergies (2023). Uganda Is Running Out of Trees: Partners Target To Grow 40 Million Trees this Year https://totalenergies.ug/uganda-running-out-trees-partners-target-grow-40-million-trees-year

· UNEP (2022). Pakistan’s Ten Billion Tree Tsunami https://www.unep.org/news-and-stories/story/pakistans-ten-billion-tree-tsunami

· Van Mahotsav 2021: History, significance, celebrations and quotes https://www.indiatoday.in/information/story/van-mahotsav-2021-history-significance-celebrations-and-everything-you-need-to-know-1821532-2021-07-01?utm_source=global-search&utm_medium=global-search&utm_campaign=global-search