Jameel Observatory x Save the Children: Early warning systems and anticipatory action for tackling hunger and insecurity

Global and local food security faces significant challenges, with approximately 701 million people in Sub-Saharan Africa affected since 2015, with at least 36 million people across the Horn of Africa characterised as severely food insecure. This crisis is compounded by conflict, environmental degradation, and energy insecurity, and impacts one in three people globally.

The UK has taken a leading role in addressing these challenges. Last year, ahead of COP28 in the UAE, the UK – together with Somalia and the UAE – hosted the Global Food Security Summit in London, which ensured that food security was a critical aspect of the global development agenda and highlighted the imperative of innovation in crisis response. Following this, the post-summit White Paper outlined the UK’s forthcoming international development priorities, emphasising the critical need to combat food insecurity, especially in drought-ridden countries in the Horn of Africa. The White Paper further highlights the importance of collaboration and multi-stakeholder engagement which guided the UK’s collaboration with the UAE, and its active participation in COP28, emphasising the significance of early-warning systems.

The UK has further announced a £143 million pledge to support people affected by food insecurity in East Africa with £96 million dedicated to drought-impacted countries in the Horn of Africa. The UK’s multifaceted response also involves increased collaboration and partnerships to foster cross-sector innovation. These efforts align with the UK’s broader goal to achieve the SDGs vision for 2030.

Save the Children and Jameel Observatory for Food Security Early Action – the key centre within the CGIAR helping to strengthen early warning systems across east Africa – is today publishing a report on the role of anticipatory action in a protracted drought.

This follows an earlier report published by the Jameel Observatory and Save the Children in April 2024, and the Dangerous Delay 2 report, published in 2022 by the Jameel Observatory, Save the Children and Oxfam.

The primary focus of this meeting is to highlight best practices in locally-led anticipatory action for food crises, comprehensively exploring their implementation, the current landscape of data and evidence around anticipatory action, and how collaboration will bridge these challenges. In addition, this event aims to catalyse collaborative efforts that directly address the pressing issues of the mounting global food and nutrition crisis, particularly focusing on the complex challenges faced by Sub-Saharan Africa, including food, fuel, and fertiliser shortages exacerbated by global conflicts, economic impacts of the pandemic, rising inflation, and extreme weather events. This vision aims to utilise a combination of science, innovation, and local knowledge to navigate the complex landscape of global and local food security challenges.

Agenda

Opening remarks - Lord Ara Darzi OM KBE PC, chairman of the advisory committee, Community Jameel

Keynote address - Abdihakim Ainte, director of food security and climate department, Prime Minister of Somalia Office

Panel discussion - 'Anticipatory action for the food and nutrition crisis' - Moderated by Adam Berthoud, Executive director of global programmes, Save the Children

Showcasing research initiatives

• Dr Guyo Roba, head, Jameel Observatory
• Dr Tahira Mohamed, fellow, Jameel Observatory; Lead SPARC-Initiative
• Jennifer Marshall Haugen, deputy director, global food security hub, FCDO
• Lydia Poole, associate director of evidence, Centre for Disaster Protection ‍
• Closing remarks - George Richards, director, Community Jameel
  

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