They is Need to Review Food Systems to counter Malnutrition in Zambia

 They is Need to Review Food Systems to counter Malnutrition in Zambia

By Daily News Reporter

Zambia should review all benchmarks set to fight various forms of malnutrition afflicting the country or risk missing the 25% globally accepted stunting levels to attain zero hunger by 2030 as espoused under the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), health minister Sylvia Masebo has implored.

Remedies adduced for redressing the overarching malnutrition related cases include among others, obesity and under-nutrition-estimated-averaging 35%, call for unified and concerted efforts by all to induce strict countervailing actions.

This is envisaged to help downscale to the globally accepted 25% or risk veering off course the projected attainment by 2030-sought to be the end point for hunger.

There is too, an unwavering call for an effective application of all actions that affect populations within the community to help tackle all forms of malnutrition coupled with a call to readdress inadequate food systems.

There be a broadly revisit of the determinants of under nutrition especially those relating to gender; consideration of undernutrition as continuum, with the co-existence of wasting, stunting and micronutrient malnutrition, integrating prevention and treatment.

Research-based interventions remain vital as urgent interventions for Zambia to remain on course.

Minister Masebo, officiating in Lusaka at the two-day-National Nutrition Conference, themed: "Strengthening and Accelerating Delivery of Multisectoral Nutrition Interventions Through Evidence-driven Programming".

And Minister Masebo urged all players to join hands with the Government in advancing the good and nutrition agenda as a basis to reverse the impact on the citizenry.

These concerted efforts, Minister Masebo stated that this will assist Zambia drive its agenda and programme in redressing the escalating malnutrition levels-partially scaled from an earlier 40% since 2018, a matter still not redressed since then.

This, with unwavering collaboration will and can make the fight against malnutrition to be attained, as envisaged by the Government.

This is tenable if all apply the transformative food systems approach, central to ensuring safe and nutritious food is availed, accessible and affordable by all citizenry all year round for a productive and health life.

The multiple burden of malnutrition seen through under nutrition embracing stunting and micronutrient deficiencies can be seen through anemia, over nutrition amplified by overweight and obesity.

Diet related non communicable diseases as Type 2 diabetes and hypertension-all straining the health care system, all pose threats to individual and national development.

The snail pace at which remedies are being applied should be doubled to avert missing the targeted 2030 end-time.

"This trajectory of slow improvement means that attaining the United Nations (SDGs 2) which aims to achieve Zero Hunger by 2030 is not within our reach, therefore there is need for more concerted and sustained efforts to change this picture," Masebo said.

To make progress on sustainable development it is therefore essential to make progress on nutrition using evidence-based approaches arguing:

"Evidence-informed programming is an input for the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development which clearly acknowledges that improving nutrition is foundational to sustainable development."

However, there is catch to redressing the pangs of malnutrition and that effective policy coherence and a multisectoral approach informed by evidence.

This if undertaken and applied wholesomely this will help to address the common risk of fragmented actions and policies between sectors and actors due to the multisectoral nature of nutrition.

And from our research it shows that good nutrition depends on insufficient supply or access to healthy foods, physical inactivity, inadequate feeding practices or behaviours, and poor water sanitation, food safety, and inadequate health services

And Zambia to strive they is need to change the nutrition landscape at the policy level as evidenced through among other actions; strengthening the nutrition governance and coordination structures through operationalising the Food and Nutrition Bill.

And this effort is being supported by the formation of the Food and Nutrition Steering Committee chaired by the Secretary to Cabinet; appointing an NFNC Board and substantive Executive and Deputy Director, and facilitating the formation and functioning of provincial and District Nutrition Coordinating Committees; Other strides include implementation of the Nutrition for Growth Commitments which has seen areas such as increased human resources for nutrition especially in the health sector that has recruited nutritionists and increasing funding towards nutrition.