The value of Asian-Africa collaboration in food and health security.

Challenges for food and health security encompass food production and distribution, smallholder income generation, access to health care, harmful child care practices and epidemics (e.g. HIV), and tackling of the coexistence of undernutrition and caloric over-nutrition. The recently re-defined primary health care approach addresses the whole field of nutrition and health security. In general, Asia has more experience with technologies in various fields than Africa. But Africa has more experience in humanitarian approaches to emerging food and health crises. Objectives of the Asian-African collaboration need to be differentiated into one area where the public sector is developing and strengthened, and another area where the private sector can promote food and health security with its specific advantages and constraints. In the field of hunger and disease prevention, both sides can benefit from the exchange of knowledge and concepts. Whereas in the Western world drugs and technologies became major factors in health care and food production, the potential of Asia and Africa lies in optimizing the utilization of indigenous plants and protecting the biodiversity of the natural resources. As an example, the vegetable bitter gourd is presented: it can be grown almost everywhere and it exerts anti-obese and anti-diabetic effects. This is of extreme importance for those who do not have access to modern drug treatment for diabetes mellitus. Asian-African collaboration in food and health security provides a great opportunity as both sides can benefit from different experiences and opportunities in order to meet the challenges in food and health security.