Malnutrition, Hunger, and the Egyptian Public Nutritional Health

This event is organized in collaboration between Sawiris Foundation for Social Development (SFSD), the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), and the Egyptian Food Bank (EFB) and is part of CGIAR’s National Policies and Strategies (NPS) Initiative.

Overview:
Egypt is among the countries confronting the simultaneous challenge of both undernutrition and overnutrition. Around 14% of the Egyptian population experience food insecurity, with the country ranking 57th out of 121 nations on the 2023 Global Hunger Index. This position indicates a moderate incidence of hunger. Moreover, approximately 40% of Egyptian adult population is obese, while around 18% of children under the age of 5 are obese and 22% are stunted (impaired growth, short for their age). This co-existence of multiple forms of malnutrition is known as the double burden of malnutrition, a compounding issue for Egyptian public health & safety.

To ensure a productive roundtable BEP seminar on the double burden of malnutrition, it is imperative to engage key stakeholders capable of providing valuable insights and supporting policy actions, such as government officials, academics, and researchers, as well as representatives from NGOs, and international development assistance organizations. hosting Egyptian legislators (parliamentary members) who, as policy makers and advocates of food security, nutrition, and public health, play a critical role in shaping strategies to address both obesity and undernutrition within the Egyptian context. We will involve parliamentary members from three key committees: 1) Health-related Committee: members engaged in public health, nutrition, and food security possess deep understanding of the topic and can advocate for relevant policies, 2) Budget and Planning Committee: participating members influence resource allocation which ensures the discussions on the funding for public health programs are grounded in financial realism, and 3) Agriculture and Food Committee: participating members are capable of providing valuable insights into the food production side of the issue due to their focus on agriculture, food supply, and rural development.

The discussion will focus on the social determinants of health that exacerbate malnutrition in vulnerable populations, including access to nutritious foods, healthcare, early childhood development, poverty, education, and geographic disparities. It will also analyze the contributing factors to the double burden of malnutrition, such as food systems and environments, public health interventions, and overall consumption preferences and diets in Egypt.

To guarantee an open discussion, the roundtables will be held in accordance with Chatham House Rules. Participants are free to use the information received, but neither the identity nor the affiliation of the speaker(s), nor that of any other participant(s), will be revealed. By registering to this event, you declare you abide to these rules.

Follow this link to see launch event page or this link to read the launch event blog.

About BEP:
Sawiris Foundation for Social Development (SFSD), the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), and the Egyptian Food Bank (EFB) are looking forward to the upcoming session, which will mark the fourth gathering in the Bridging Evidence and Policy (BEP) Seminar Series. This series was initiated in June 2023 through the collaborative efforts of the three organizations, with the objective of integrating essential developmental best practices guided by evidence and data into policymaking in Egypt. This upcoming session will gather experts and development implementers around the theme of “Double Burden of Malnutrition in Egypt”.

Individuals attending this event may be audio taped, videotaped, or photographed during a meeting, and by attending grant permission for their likenesses and the content of their comments, if any, to be broadcast, webcast, published, or otherwise reported or recorded. Questions? Please contact nps@cgiar.org

This work is part of the CGIAR Research Initiative on National Policies and Strategies (NPS). CGIAR launched NPS with national and international partners to build policy coherence, respond to policy demands and crises, and integrate policy tools at national and subnational levels in countries in Africa, Asia, and Latin America. CGIAR centers participating in NPS are The Alliance of Bioversity International and the International Center for Tropical Agriculture (Alliance Bioversity-CIAT), International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), International Water Management Institute (IWMI), International Potato Center (CIP), International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), and WorldFish. We would like to thank all funders who supported this research through their contributions to the CGIAR Trust Fund.