The Food is sick, the food is potentially lethal although delicious and appealing.

The industry intends it that way.

Although Ultra-Processed food products excess in salt, sugar and fats are a risk factor for many Non-Communicable Diseases including cardiovascular diseases, cancers, stomach ulcers, diabetes and others, the food industry aggressively markets, promotes, advertises it with no mercy and with too many hidden tactics. It is alarming how children are their soft target, hooking them when young. And also interfering into food policy formulation and regulation especially in low- and middle-income countries.

CEFROHT joined Africa CSO partners in a regional workshop on Industry Monitoring hosted by the Global Health Advocacy Incubator (GHAI) in Nairobi, Kenya. The workshop brought together health policy experts and public health advocates from eight African countries: Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Ethiopia, South Africa, Cameroon, Nigeria, and Ghana, alongside global partners from GHAI.

The focus of the workshop was clear: managing and countering food industry interference in the formulation processes of healthy food policies. Country representatives shared experiences and best practices, while expert-led sessions covered critical areas such as industry landscape analysis, mapping of actors and their actions, monitoring, and the strategic use of evidence to strengthen advocacy. The workshop entailed discussions on the food industry taxonomy (Palybook), and the four (4) aspects of food industry monitoring for CSOs, which included: Political Action, Mobilization, Legal, and Communications

At the heart of these discussions was a shared concern: big food companies that have amassed uncontrolled power and influence and continue to shape our food systems for profit rather than public health. Their influence in policy formulation processes creates gaps in policy implementation, undermines public health, and the right to adequate food. These corporations often present themselves as champions against hunger, highlighting their corporate social responsibility initiatives. Yet, when it comes to regulation, they resist accountability even though their food products are causing the rise of diet-related Non-Communicable diseases (NCDs) like overweight and obesity, cancer, heart disease, hypertension, and many others, which claim the lives of 33 out of every 100 Ugandans annually.

Children remain a prime target of industry marketing because of their “pester power” and the likelihood that unhealthy consumption patterns adopted in childhood will persist into adulthood. Such tactics ensure long-term profits for the industry but come at the cost of public health.

Through this workshop, we were able to revise and strengthen our national industry monitoring strategy. The updated approach equips stakeholders, including the media, policymakers, and the public, to better detect, document, and respond to industry interference. Our collective goal is to develop robust legal, regulatory, and policy frameworks that:

• Protect consumers,
• Improve access to safe and nutritious diets, and
• Hold corporations accountable for their role in fueling NCDs.

At CEFROHT, we believe it is time to curtail corporate power in food systems. By ensuring fair and transparent markets, strengthening policy safeguards, and amplifying community voices, we can push back against harmful narratives and secure a healthier future for all. Coordinated efforts across countries will enhance accountability, share best practices, and reinforce the capacity of communities and governments to hold the food industry responsible for public health outcomes.