Maravi

Simbao calls on private sector to help commercialise palm oil

Simbao calls on private sector to help commercialise palm oil
Written by Mutale Kapekele
Sunday, May 31, 2009 4:15:10 PM

HEALTH minister Kapembwa Simbao has challenged the private sector to assist the government in commercialising palm oil production in Luapula province.
And Simbao has said the economic progress that the country has made has had only marginal benefits at household level.

Addressing the national food and nutrition symposium in Lusaka on Thursday, Simbao said commercialising palm oil production would improve food security in the country.

Palm oil is said to be rich in both calories and Vitamin A and according to nutritionists, its production and use contributes to Vitamin A and overall nutrition status even for those with malnutrition.

“I want to challenge the private sector to help in commercialising the palm oil production in Luapula Province where so much work has been done under the Ministry of Agriculture and the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO),” Simbao said.

“This will help improve household food security in the country. As a government, we will continue to rely more on the private sector to help with new innovations aimed at value additions in such areas as food processing, food fortification, new product development, presentation and general food quality.”

He also urged the private sector to take a lead in food fortification as a way of mitigating the impact of micronutrients deficiencies in the country.

“Food fortification is a proven intervention in responding to high levels of micronutrient deficiency,” he said. “We expect the private sector to take the lead in this area. Micronutrient deficiencies are still a problem of public health in Zambia.”

Simbao disclosed that 54 per cent of children in the country had vitamin A and Iron deficiency.

“The Vitamin A Impact study of under-fives reflects that 54 per cent of Zambian children have Vitamin A deficiency. It is noted that Iron Deficiency Anaemia is most common in young children and women of childbearing age,” he said.

“Although there have been no recent updates on the prevalence of Vitamin A deficiency and Iron deficiency, the high malnutrition mortality among children and high levels of stunting are reliable signs of these deficiencies.”

And Simbao has said more than half the population in the country have not benefitted from economic strides made in the past few years.

“About 65 per cent of the Zambian population still lives below the poverty datum line and is unable to afford the basic food basket. This impacts negatively on the health and nutritional situation of both urban and rural households and ultimately compromises economic development,” said Simbao.

Labels: KAPEMBWA SIMBAO, PALM OIL

posted by MrK @ 3:18 PM