Seithati Mots’oeneng
KING Letsie III has warned that malnutrition exacts a steep social and economic toll across the globe, with African countries bearing the brunt of this devastating issue.
The King has also expressed grave concern over the staggering economic impact of malnutrition in Africa, noting that it causes African economies to lose between 1.9-16 percent of their annual GDP due to undernutrition.
This crippling loss not only hampers economic growth, but also has lasting, detrimental implications for the health and development of children across the continent.
The King spoke at the recently ended 48th governing council meeting of the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) in Rome, Italy.
The event brought together global leaders and stakeholders from various sectors to deliberate on sustainable agricultural practices and their essential role in combating the adverse effects of climate change.
Underscoring the alarming state of malnutrition plaguing the continent, the King highlighted that approximately 22% of children worldwide suffered from stunted growth, while nearly 30% of the global population experienced one or more micronutrient deficiencies.
The King stressed that stunting and micronutrient deficiencies contributed to poor health outcomes and represented one of the leading causes of global child mortality, accounting for about 45% of deaths among children under five years of age.
He also described malnutrition as “a long-term drain on development”.
“Stunting and micronutrient deficiencies not only contribute to poor health outcomes but also represent one of the leading causes of global child mortality, accounting for about 45% of deaths among children under five,” he stated.
In Lesotho, the King said, 13 percent of infants were born with low birth weight, a stark indicator of the country’s ongoing food insecurity challenges.
In July 2024, Prime Minister Sam Matekane declared a national food insecurity disaster in Lesotho.
The declaration, made under the Disaster Management Act, cited a vulnerability assessment project that found over 700 000 Basotho faced severe food insecurity due to an El Niño-induced drought.
The declaration underscored the urgent need for intervention to address the widespread hunger and malnutrition resulting from negative climatic events, which were expected to persist until March-April 2025.
Climate change-driven threats to agricultural production, including rising temperatures and volatile weather patterns, have made it increasingly difficult for Lesotho’s rural population to access nutritious food.
To combat these pressing issues, King Letsie III called for greater political will and strategic, inclusive investments to strengthen national nutrition programs.
That included fostering gender-sensitive initiatives that protected the interests of youth and marginalized groups in the context of environmental sustainability.
“The overarching purpose of these investments should be to break the inter-generational cycle of poverty and malnutrition and to find long-lasting solutions that will help us create sustainable food systems that can deliver sustainable diets,” the King emphasized.
Despite daunting statistics and challenges, King Letsie III urged all stakeholders—governments, civil society, and international organizations—to collaborate and share best practices.
It was especially imperative for countries’ leaders to demonstrate the political will to increase the share in their national budgets “dedicated exclusively to nutrition”.
Such cooperation was vital for developing innovative solutions tailored to the unique and pressing needs of each region, he said.
The King highlighted that Premier Matekane’s government was determined to prioritize nutrition, especially for children, as a key focus area.
He acknowledged that addressing malnutrition and food insecurity required a multisectoral effort, bridging various fields like agriculture, health, and education.
“The commitment to building an enabling environment for better nutrition outcomes is a step in the right direction, providing hope in a time of crisis,” the King noted.
He urged an escalation of efforts to confront the challenges posed by climate change head-on.
The King called for increased investment in climate-smart agriculture and advocated for innovative practices that could withstand the weather extremes brought about by climate change.
Moreover, the King emphasized the need for global solidarity and cooperation in addressing climate change.
“We must work together, guided by mutual respect and common purpose, to build sustainable food systems that leave no one behind,” he said, urging a spirit of collaboration among the participants.
The King warned that the impacts of climate change would continue to jeopardize the livelihoods of millions, creating a cycle of poverty and hunger that would be difficult to break.
As the world grows increasingly fragmented and the future uncertain, global leaders and financiers at the IFAD meeting emphasized the strategic importance of investing in rural areas of developing countries.
They stressed that this was crucial to achieve food and nutrition security, economic growth, and stability.
Nearly half of the world’s 8.2 billion people live in the rural areas of developing countries, where hunger and poverty are entrenched. Lesotho is a prime example of stagnant rural development, with over half of the country’s 2.3 million population based in impoverished rural communities.
The IFAD meeting noted that rural regions were home to small-scale farmers who produced 70% of the food consumed in low- and middle-income countries.
Investing in these “first mile” rural areas was key to reducing poverty and inequality, ensuring stability, and feeding the world.
IFAD President Alvaro Lario underscored the importance of stabilizing rural economies through strategic investments.
“Stabilising rural communities, through investing in their productivity and their economies, is a major step to our common goal because it creates jobs, increases incomes and can be an engine of growth for the entire economy,” he said.
Leaders at the event stressed that small farmers needed better technology, capital, and market access to succeed as businesses.
Several emphasized the cost-effectiveness of agricultural growth in reducing poverty, especially in sub-Saharan Africa.
The meeting also highlighted the disproportionate impact of climate change on vulnerable rural communities.
Sierra Leone’s President Julius Maada Wonie Bio, noted “rural economies were the backbone agriculture” yet “bore the brunt of climate change and other shocks.”
Participants called for innovative financing solutions and deeper collaboration to scale up support for smallholder farmers.
Brazil’s First Lady Janja Lula da Silva said the Global Alliance Against Hunger and Poverty had “the potential of contributing to stepping up results” through combined actions.
Overall, the IFAD meeting reinforced the strategic imperative of investing in rural development to achieve food security, economic growth, and climate resilience worldwide.
