This publication provides an introduction to the food and nutrition security situation in West Africa, highlighting both opportunities and challenges, in preparation for the 11th Nutrition Forum of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) that was held in 2010. It features a compilation of articles, covering the following topics, as well as a bulletin board of announcements.

• Soaring food prices, climate change and bioenergy 
• Collaborating on nutrition and food security: Implications for the health and agriculture sectors
• Capacity development: Challenges and opportunities 
• Implications of a resilient and sustainable smallholder food production system in West Africa
• The role of farmers' organizations  
• Integrating nutritional indicators in food security monitoring in the Sahel region and in West Africa
• Integrating agriculture and health: Experiences from Sierra Leone

Note: This publication was developed under the auspices of the United Nations System Standing Committee on Nutrition (UNSCN), one of the precursors to UN-Nutrition.