Improving dietary diversity for better health among children in Africa

Abidjan—Around 59 million children in Africa under the age of five lack the dietary diversity necessary   for healthy growth and development, making them up to 50% more likely to suffer from wasting, a life-threatening form of malnutrition.

Many of these children consume foods from no more than two of the eight recommended food groups each day, with diets often limited to breastmilk and a starchy staple such as maize, rice or cassava.

To help address this challenge, experts from fifteen countries (Benin, Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Ghana, Guinea, Kenya, Madagascar, Malawi, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Tanzania and Togo) met in Abidjan from 19 -21 October 2026 to map out strategies and national roadmaps to improve access to nutritious foods and practical feeding support for children aged 6 to 23 months.

The workshop, convened by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), examined barriers that prevent many families from providing optimal diets for young children. For millions of households across Africa, nutritious foods remain unaffordable, unavailable or difficult to access. At the same time, health and community services often face resource and capacity constraints that limit their ability to support caregivers with practical feeding guidance.

“To grow and develop well, children need safe, diverse and nutrient-rich complementary foods alongside continued breastfeeding. Improving complementary feeding requires strong health systems, supportive food environments, informed caregivers and coordinated action across sectors,” said Dr Lucien Manga, WHO representative in Côte d’Ivoire.

During the workshop, participants reviewed national policies, programmes and interventions in line with the latest WHO/UNICEF guidance on complementary feeding. They identified opportunities to strengthen support for caregivers, improve access to nutritious foods and ensure that services reach the most vulnerable children.

Discussions focused on ways to strengthen collaboration between the health, agriculture and social protection sectors to improve the affordability and availability of nutritious foods. Participants also explored expanding counselling and feeding support through primary health care and community platforms, strengthening the skills of frontline health workers, and improving the quality and consistency of information available to parents and caregivers.

“Parents and caregivers want the best for their children, yet many continue to face barriers in accessing affordable and nutritious foods. By investing in practical solutions and working across sectors, countries can create environments that support healthy feeding practices and give every child the best possible start in life,” said Mrs Mariana Stirbu, UNICEF representative a.i in Cote d’Ivoire.

The workshop concluded with the development of national roadmaps outlining priority actions, implementation milestones and approaches for monitoring progress. With continued support from WHO, UNICEF and partners, countries will work to advance these plans to strengthen complementary feeding support and help more children access the nutritious diets they need to survive, grow and thrive.