Workshop on Eco Food Systems held
ADDIS ABABA – March 19, 2025 (EPHI) - A workshop on Eco Food Systems (EFS) project multisector holders, organized by the Ethiopian Public Health Institute (EPHI) and the University of Galway, Ireland, was held here yesterday.
Welcoming workshop participants, Dr. Masresha Tessema, Director of Nutrition, Environmental Health, and Non-Communicable Disease Research Directorate at EPHI, said that the EFS Project, which is supported by the European Union’s Development Smart Innovation through Research in Agriculture (DeSIRA) Initiative and International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), aims to foster resilient and sustainable food systems in city regions. “By identifying research and innovation priorities, the project seeks to improve food security, nutrition, and climate resilience, ensuring healthier and more affordable diets,” Dr. Masresha stated.
He further stated that EPHI, the research wing of the federal Ministry of Health, plays a crucial role in generating evidence and addressing policy questions. “With this extensive experience, the EPHI is now poised to contribute data-driven solutions that inform policies and strengthen Ethiopia’s food system transformation”.
Dr. Masresha underscored that his institute has made significant contributions to supporting the national implementation of food and nutrition related policies and strategies. “Our milestone achievements have not only been limited to the health sector alone. We have also been engaged in agriculture and education,” he said, adding that the Ethiopian endogenous food molecular component should also be highlighted as another achievement of EPHI.
Representing the Ministry of Health (MoH), Mr. Yonatan Mamo said that the EFS Project brings together key stakeholders to drive transformative changes in food systems. The discussion helps “shape policies and innovations that ensure healthier, more sustainable, and affordable diets for all, especially for marginalized communities,” he stated.
Yonatan said that MoH is committed to improving nutrition and public health through evidence-based policies and initiatives. “Central to this effort is the implementation of Ethiopia’s Food System Transformation Plan, which outlines core targets under Cluster 2: Game-Changing Solutions. A key focus within this cluster is the promotion and implementation of Food-Based Dietary Guidelines (FBDGs) to enhance dietary diversity, improve nutrition awareness, and guide policy actions that ensure better health outcomes.“
Yonatan further said that emphasizing the reduction of malnutrition, strengthening food safety regulations, and promoting sustainable food environments that support healthy dietary choices have long been the top priorities of the ministry. Therefore, the multi-stakeholders EFS project significantly contributes to the aforementioned national efforts being spearheaded by the ministry, according to him. “By generating data-driven insights and policy recommendations, the project supports the goals of the ministry in strengthening urban food systems, enhancing nutrition-sensitive policies, and fostering multi-sectoral collaboration to improve food security and climate resilience.”
Viviane Filippi, Program Officer with IFAD stated on the occasion that the Eco Food Systems Project is designed to support agroecological transitions, improve nutrition outcomes, and enhance sustainability within city-region food systems. “The EFS project aims to address needs within the local contexts in alignment with strategic directions of the government and the key local actors,” she stated.
Viviane outlined the responsibilities of stakeholders, noting that they would be empowered through decision-making toolkits, business cases for agroecological models, sustainability metrics for food system resilience, multi-stakeholder platforms, and interactive decision-making dashboards to support the transformation of urban food systems.
Introduction and briefings were provided to the workshop participants about the EFS Project by Professor Charles Spillane, EFS project leader from the University of Galway, and Dr. Endale Amare, Food Science and Nutrition Division head at EPHI.
To ensure the research within the EFS project is demand-driven and aligned with national priorities and plans, the EFS workshop, jointly organized by University of Galway and EPHI, was intended to facilitate stakeholders in the Ethiopian food system to work together to identify research gaps and priorities to inform the research activities of the EFS Project.
An available document indicates that the EFS project is led by the University of Galway, Ireland, with partner organizations like the Wageningen University and Research and Rikolto. The EFS project works closely with food systems stakeholders to co-create research outputs that can enable decision-making by partners to better transition the diets of city region consumers towards diets that are more sustainable, healthier, and affordable.
Over 100 health experts, researchers, directors, and senior officials from governmental and non-governmental organizations participated in the day-long workshop held at the Hilton Addis Ababa. (EPHI).
