AFROFOODS CALL FOR ACTION FROM THE DOOR OF RETURN FOR FOOD RENAISSANCE IN AFRICA Dakar, 10th December 2009. Human Rights Day

We, the participants at the 5th AFROFOODS Sub-regional Data Center Coordinators Meeting held in Dakar, Senegal, on 9–11 December 2009,

Note that the degradation of ecosystems and the loss of food biodiversity is contributing greatly to the increases in poverty and malnutrition in Africa;

Recognize that returning to local crops and traditional food systems is a prerequisite for conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity for food and nutrition; Acknowledge that local foods are the basis for African sustainable diets; Urge that food composition data be emphasized as the fundamental information underpinning almost all activities in the field of nutrition; Call upon the sectors of public health, agriculture, and environment and food trade to help reinforce and assist with the improvement of food composition data, particularly on local foods; Request that the contribution of food composition be credited as one of the most important components for action in nutrition and food quality, food safety, and food and nutrition security; We invite all sectors to place AFROFOODS on the national, regional and international agenda for all food and nutrition activities in Africa through interdisciplinary strategic plans for achieving the relevant MDGs; and therefore, from the Door of Return of the House of the Slaves of Gorée-Dakar, we accept the challenge ourselves and send this call for action to our colleagues, as well as to governments, the private sector and financial entities to strengthen AFROFOODS activities in a renewed commitment to an African food renaissance.