One of the most crucial elements in the implementation of these Guidelines is the commitment and participation of all stakeholders and partners, most importantly, national governments, policy-makers, agricultural researchers, nutrition and allied specialists, and development agencies, especially NGOs. FAO, in consultation and close collaboration with member countries, has been engaged in national and sub-regional activities to promote the implementation of these Guidelines. These activities included a technical workshop in Pretoria, South Africa, involving four SADC countries, namely Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa and Swaziland. During this workshop, participating countries prepared country status papers on the food and nutrition situation in their countries. Workshop participants endorsed and adopted the Guidelines and also formulated strategies for the implementation of the Guidelines. Furthermore, country delegates to this workshop developed a set of Country Action Plans for incorporating nutrition considerations into agricultural research plans and programmes as the framework for initial activities to implement the Guidelines. Proposals for sub-regional programmes of agricultural research activities in which nutrition issues are fully integrated were also outlined. Other similar workshops and a variety of country and sub-regional programmes and activities to promote implementation of the Guidelines will follow this initial workshop. I am interested. What do I do? Stakeholders, partners, nutritionists and allied specialists are invited to participate in, and to contribute to these sub-regional workshops and country activities. Interested parties and organizations are encouraged to contact the FAO representation in their countries for detailed information on the workshops and associated follow-up actions. Or, it is possible to contact the director of the FAO Food and Nutrition Division at the following address. Mr. Kraisid Tontisirin, director |
