While Africa is the world’s second-fastest- growing region, its rate of poverty reduction is insufficient to reach the Millennium Development Goal (MDG) of halving extreme poverty and hunger by 2015, a recent progress report released by development organisations states.

The ‘MDG Report 2013: Assessing progress in Africa toward the Millennium Development Goals’, which was prepared by the African Union Commission (AUC), the United Nations (UN) Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA), the UN Development Programme (UNDP) and the African Development Bank (AfDB), found that food insecurity had negatively impacted on several MDGs.

Climate-related shocks manifesting in extreme weather conditions had exacerbated Africa’s food insecurity, resulting in a high incidence of underweight children, widespread hunger and poor dietary consumption patterns.

An analysis of food insecurity on the continent found that concerted efforts to improve agriculture, food distribution and nutrition would, in turn, fast-track progress towards other MDGs.

The report found that four of the MDGs were “on track”, while four of the goals were “off track”.

The goals that were within reach by the 2015 deadline were the realisation of universal primary education, the promotion of gender equality and the empowerment of women, the combatting of HIV/Aids, malaria and other diseases, and the creation of a global partnership for development.

Goals that are unlikely to be achieved by 2015 were the eradication of extreme poverty and hunger, a reduction in child mortality, an improvement in maternal health and the assurance of environmental sustainability.

So far, Benin, Egypt, Ethiopia, Gambia, Malawi and Rwanda have made the greatest progress in attaining the MDGs.

“We hope that this report inspires and energises member States to accelerate efforts towards the MDGs. Further, we recommend that the post-2015 development agenda consider the initial conditions of nation States, and recognise countries’ efforts towards the goals, as opposed to just measuring how far they fall short,” states the report’s foreword, co-signed by AUC chairperson Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, UNECA executive secretary Carlos Lopes, AfDB president Donald Kaberuka and UNDP administrator Helen Clark.

The report stated that Africa had to put structures in place to sustain its development well beyond the MGD timeline. It further noted that Africa had to commit to inclusive, transforma- tive development that reduces income poverty, creates decent jobs, enhance access to social services, reduces inequality and promotes resilience to climate-related hazards.

Looking at the development goals towards which the most progress had been made, the report found that, while the quality of education remained a challenge, the percentage of children attending primary school on the continent had improved.

Most African countries had achieved universal primary school enrolment, with rates above 90% and, as a result, the continent as a whole was expected to achieve the second MDG.

School food programmes and access to preschools had been instrumental in this progress.

Further, the report found that women across Africa were becoming more empowered, with more girls attending both primary and secondary school, and more women in positions of political power.

However, cultural practices, such as early marriage and low economic opportunities for women, were slowing progress.

In addition, targeted interventions, strong political leadership and the wide-scale availability of medicine had improved prevention and treatment efforts for tuberculosis, HIV/Aids and malaria.

Despite good progress, hunger and malnutri- tion rates remained high in Africa, particularly among children.

“In 2012, most of Africa was identified as having serious to alarming levels of hunger on the Global Hunger Index. Climate change, political instability and population growth are among the contributing factors, and the continent’s popu- lation is increasing so rapidly that countries might not be able to produce all the food they need,” the report cautioned.

While under-five child deaths on the continent fell by 47% between 1990 and 2011, Africa still had the greatest percentage of child and maternal deaths.

The report highlighted the importance of integrated maternal and child health interventions, focusing on infant mortality and the need for holistic policies that addressed the underlying causes of maternal and child deaths.

In addition, the report found that the livelihoods of African households would be at risk without efforts to improve resilience to environ- mental hazards – including those attributable to climate change.

Sustaining progress on the MDGs would require strengthening capacities to anticipate and respond to climate-related disasters and capitalising on green growth opportunities.

Most African countries were also struggling to meet targets in water and sanitation.