Inonge advises men to get involved in nutritional activities
By Allan Mulenga
Thu 21 Nov. 2013, 14:01 CAT
GENDER minister Inonge Wina has urged men to be fully involved in nutritional-related activities as they are the ones who make decisions bordering on the well-being of families.
During the national learning and sharing event on the role of gender in improving nutrition hosted by Concern Worldwide Zambia in Lusaka yesterday, Wina observed that men often have a bigger say on the usage of land and money in the home.
"These decisions look simple, but they have an important effect on the nutritional status of children. If a husband, for instance, decides that he is only going to grow cotton, what does that mean for the nutrition of the children? she asked.
Wina commended Concern Worldwide Zambia for implementing projects encouraging men to support women in growing a variety of foods rich in micronutrients.
"As a result of these efforts, there is a reported change of attitudes by men in relation to decisions of agriculture and nutrition. Further, husbands are assisting their wives in identifying and providing land for homestead gardens, they are assisting their wives with chores such as fetching water and accompanying their wives to health centres for antenatal care. All these activities are connected to improved nutrition in the home," she said.
Wina urged men and women to continue working together in promoting better nutrition outcomes.
And Concern Worldwide Zambia country director Danny Harvey said her organisation had been implementing the Realigning Agriculure to Improve Nutrition (RAIN) project in Mumbwa and Shibuyunji districts, in partnership with the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFRPI), since 2011.
Harvey explained that the RAIN project focuses on sustainable agriculture, nutrition and health interventions to effectively prevent child and maternal under nutrition among rural communities.
"RAIN activities include; working with women's groups, coordinate small model farmers, to promote the production of micro-nutrient rich and diverse food crops, coordination and support of community health volunteers to deliver health and nutrition education and communication, rehabilitation of boreholes and the promotion of gender equality," she said.
Harvey commended the government and other stakeholders for partnering with her organisation in the implementation of the project.
Labels: INONGE WINA, NUTRITION
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CSO-SUN calls for agricultural diversification
By Gift Chanda
Tue 24 Sep. 2013, 14:00 CAT
THE GOVERNMENT'S effort to diversify the agriculture sector should not be restricted to crops alone, advises the Zambia Coalition of Civil Society Organisations for Scaling-up Nutrition.
In an interview, CSO-SUN national coordinator William Chilufya noted that the government had placed less focus on livestock as it seeks to diversify the agriculture sector.
"We commend the government for keeping focus on diversification. However, we note that they have placed a lot emphasis on crop diversification," he said.
"Emphasis on diversification must not only focus on crop diversification but also on small livestock farming such as poultry, piggery, goats among others."
Chilufya noted that for the government to reduce malnutrition rates which currently stood at 45 per cent for children under the age of five in the country, a deliberate policy that supports diversification of agriculture was required.
"....but what is more critical is to have a deliberate policy that provides incentives for livestock production to allow for promoting increased per capita animal protein intake in Zambia," Chilufya said.
"Today in Zambia, children receive bulk diets deficient of the necessary amino acids (animal protein) for them to achieve the required nutrient balance for optimal health. Due to imbalanced intake, body processes are starved of the required elements, essential for growth and development."
Chilufya said President Michael Sata, during his address to Parliament last week, should have highlighted in clear terms the measures the government would take to ensure diversified diets for good nutrition.
"We would have expected the President to announce some of the commitments made in London during the nutrition for Growth Summit, in June 2013. This is important so that MPs and the general public get to understand commitments government has made to scaling up nutrition," he said.
"As one of the first signatories to the Scaling Up Nutrition Movement, the Zambian government committed to fully reduce chronic under-nutrition by 50 per cent in the next 10 years through a combination of local efforts and international support."
To this effect, the government launched the First 1000 Most Critical Days Programme in April 2013 as part of scaling-up nutrition levels.
"Had the President taken note of nutrition in his speech, he would have demonstrated the highest political will in the fight against malnutrition," said Chilufya.
"Countries that are achieving more progress in reducing malnutrition have high-level political champions, clearly identified with the issue and pushing for progress."
Labels: NGOs, NUTRITION, WILLIAM CHILUFYA
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