Africa is stepping up. “We need responsible and proactive leadership in line with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals to carry the baton forward for healthy nutrition in Africa and the rest of the world. The North-West University (NWU) has been driving impactful change in the sector for more than 22 years, and we will continue to lead from the front,” says Dr Christine Taljaard-Krugell, senior lecturer in Nutrition.

Putting this promise into practice, the university is hosting the 23rd annual African Nutrition Leadership Programme (ANLP) from 11 to 21 March.

This NWU programme focuses on leadership, communication, advocacy, networking and conflict management, among other things, in a response to the dire need for impactful leadership in the nutrition field. Nutrition is of the utmost importance to reach the UN’s Sustainable Development Goal 2. This goal aims to find sustainable solutions to end hunger by 2030.

The aim of this UN goal is to ensure that everyone has enough good-quality food to lead a healthy life. More than 500 applications for the programme, which can only accommodate 30 participants at a time, streamed in from all over Africa. This response clearly shows that nutrition professionals realise the impact meaningful leadership training has on health and well-being. It also speaks to the standing of the programme on the continent and the value it has added over the years.

Leadership development is central to finding solutions

Henry Ng’ethe from Kenya, one of last year’s participants, describes the impact the ANLP programme has had on him. “I will be a better person and leader now (that I have completed the programme). I am aware of who I am through the feedback, and for that I am forever grateful."

Gaëlle Rabakoarison from Madagascar echoed Henry’s sentiments: “It is an intensive workshop that makes people push their limits and understand more about their strength and weaknesses. It is an enriching experience with a group of multisectoral people and emphasises the importance of communication and empowerment if we want to be good leaders."

Prof Johann Jerling, an NWU expert in nutrition leadership development and director of the ANLP, highlights the intention of the ANLP. “Leading change in nutrition is central to what we do. The recent ANLP programmes in Malawi helped us to gain crucial insight into matters in that country and we are now working with all the teams in all districts that are fighting malnutrition there,” he says.

“As our African network expands, more and more organisations are interested in developing leadership capabilities in their efforts to effectively reduce deaths due to malnutrition.”

Prof Robin Macleod of the Centre for Excellence in Nutrition (CEN) at the NWU, says she had the privilege of attending the 9th African Nutrition Congress in Cape Coast, Ghana, last year in October. “Seeing so many ANLP alumni from the programme in various capacities – presenting, organising and leading initiatives and debates – was incredibly inspiring. They truly embody the call to ‘lead from where you stand’, and their collective impact on Africa’s nutritional landscape is evident at events like that.”

Mapping the way forward despite grave challenges

According to Dr Thabo Putu, this year’s ANLP is set against the backdrop of the withdrawal of USAID and other aid funding by the United States.

“This withdrawal has severely impacted numerous health and food security programmes. Most African countries have relied heavily on USAID for healthcare initiatives, food aid and agricultural support.”

He says the ANLP is widely recognised throughout Africa for developing participants’ leadership capabilities, strategic thinking skills and abilities to create innovative solutions to challenges.

One such challenge is reducing dependency on foreign aid by finding local solutions to funding challenges. The ANLP enables participants to establish networks of collaboration not only within their own countries but also internationally. Networks such as these are ideal for investigating and pursuing leadership opportunities to solve problems such as funding.

*The United Nations Decade of Action on Nutrition was from 2016 to 2025. Its main aims have included achieving targets for global nutrition and diet-related non-communicable diseases by 2025.