المنتدى العالمي المعني بالأمن الغذائي والتغذية

UN Decade of Action on Nutrition is a move in the right direction simply because malnutition is an obstacle to a health nation and development and this is even more significant in less developed and developing nations.

One important aspect of UN Decade of Action on Nutrition is that it is highly significant and in line with new sustainable development goals aspects of ending hunger, achieving food security and improving nutrition.

Nutrition is rapidly gaining recognition as a key area of national focus, in Kenya for example the government has adopted a high impact nutrition interventions across the country, implemented a nutrition policy and a mandatory food fortification in the recent past not to mention other interventions by other stakeholders like humantarian communities and development partners.

The subject issue here is maximising the impact of the UN Decade of Action on Nutrition, this calls for a change of approach to harmonise all this interventions for a common goal which is in this case the subject of the matter; stakeholders should work together and their interventions should not target emergencies but address the root cause.

Regards,

Francis Njuguna

Dairy Technologist

KENYA

The UN Decade of Action on Nutrition in an attempt to eradicate all forms of malnutrition and hunger must involve all groups of people (under- five, adolescent, prisonner, aged, pregnant, lactating mothers, refugees, market people, etc.).

1. Awareness or campaigns is a major and insurmountable tool in eradication of malnutrition. It should be bring to the grassroot and this should not be in black and white only but it should be put into ACTION.

2. The need for all to participate in agriculture especially in Nigeria is very crucial to eradicate hunger and in case of the refugees, the government and NGOs should be able to provide nourish food. All bodies including UNICEF, WHO and others must also make it a priority.

In conclusion, working with the Ministry of Health, Ministry of Agriculture and other concerned ministries is important.

UN Decade of action for nutrition should focus on fostering and strengthening multisectoral linkages and actions by stakeholders to improve nutrition outcomes. Focus on health specific or agriculture specific interventions alone may not result in sustainable change especially when malnutrition has been observed where there "seems" to be plenty of food as is the case in some regions in Uganda;  and also considering that most health systems in Africa arenot equiped to manage/treat all forms of malnutrition and their consequences. Social development, education, local administration, environment, trade, finance sectors among others have a crucial role to play, yet they are often not part of the policy processes  where nutrition is discussed/addressed.  Engaging with these sectors calls for: 1) Strengthen the mulitsectoral governance systems for nutrition to ensure all stakeholders/actors (nutrition experts and "catalysts" are on board and understand the nutrition agenda;  2) Build and strengthen capacity of cadres across the system (from top to frontline workers, and within academia and outside) to create a mass that will respond to the demand for nutrition services; 3) Advocate and lobby the different levels of governments to prioritise nutrition in the development agenda as well as in implementation (it is not enough to have policies in place, these need to be implemented); 4) Empower households/communities (put nutrition back into the hands of the people) to have a progressive pronutrition behaviour change; 5) Strengthen and invest in measuring of progress - what is working, how can this be scaled up, what is cost effective and within means of government.

I would like to see stronger collaboration between the nutrition and agriculture communities over the coming decade.

In many countries the SUN (scaling up nutrition) movement has been part of this for the past 5 years or so but further strengthening of linkages will serve to foster nascent mutual understanding and trust.  Good nutrition is now seen as a driver for economic development and is directly relevant to small scale farmers and their work productivity - there is an inherent benefit to both communities demanding multi-sector responses.

Intervention wise it would be great to see more focus on female small holders and on dietary/crop diversity activities as these are most likely to improve nutritional status.  Biofortification can be a useful tool, but monitoring - particularly with any vitamin A fortified products - must be systematic (thus expensive) to prevent toxicity or other negative impacts.

Kate Godden,

Principal Nutrition Adviser, 

UK

1. The UN Decade of Action on Nutrition could make a significant difference in improving nutrition and food security of the people in Africa by highlighting and documenting the nutritional status of the population there, especially farming households in rural areas.  While infant mortality rates are slowly declining in most, if not all, African countries (with the notable exception of Somalia, and perhaps others where data may not be available), more attention should be given by governments, especially policy makers, about the under-nutrition or malnourished status of their children.  Since future economic development depends so much on future generations and their ability to lead healthy lives, contributing to the growth of the economy and making intellectual contributions to solve local problems, nutrition must come to the foreground for policy makers.  More attention needs to be given to reduce and eventually eliminate stunting and poor brain development in the children of Africa.  Publicizing the issue, documenting the issue, working with Ministries of Health, Agricultural and Education, the UN, especially the FAO, can help shine a strong light on this perplexing and pernicious issue and work with all stakeholders to resolve it.

2. Among the critical activities that need to be included in the Work Program for the implementation of the UN Decade of Action on Nutrition in order to reach the 2025 global nutrition targets are: First, promote the broad and deep dissemination of bio-fortified crops as alternative crops to what is currently being grown, for example, promote iron-fortified beans, Vitamin A enhanced maize and sweet potato, zinc-fortified rice, and so forth.  These are crops which HarvestPlus and the CGIARs like CIP, have developed and which are being tested locally and, in some cases, like Zambia with Vitamin A maize, are being scaled out now. Second, develop and broadly publicize among the vast majority of people what good nutrition really means in terms of a well-balanced diet with protein, minerals and vitamins from animal sourced foods, fruits and vegetables, legumes and other crops.  This should be done using multiple forms of media, such as television (for urban consumers) radio (for all consumers), through mobile phone platforms, including through SMS text and VOIP activities, newspapers, and so forth.  Such nutritional information activities must also be done as part of schools' curriculum, so that children learn what a good, balanced diet is and why it is so important to their improved health, welfare and intellectual development.

3. In order to accelerate and improve the quality of commitments from the various actors, widepsread publicity, using data-driven monitoring and evaluation, of improvements must be done.  Governments and international and local NGOs can play a critical role in working on such a national even continent-wide nutritional information campaign.  The private sector, especially seed companies, must be encouraged to work with HarvestPlus and the CGIARs to commercilize and make broadly available to farmers the seeds and vines of bio-fortified crops.  Food processing companies should be encouraged to use bio-fortified crops in making foods and beverages for mass consumption, including as part of school feeding programs in pre-schools, elementary and middle schools.

I look forward to following this dialogue.  But more importantly, I look forward of being part of the solution to the malicious and persistent problem of malnutrition and under-nutrition in children in Africa.  Thank you.

English translation below

Bonjour à tous les membres.

Ma contribution en  ce qui concerne le thème de la  discussion repose sur mes observations personnelles  des interventions des UN au Cameroun sur le plan de la sécurité alimentaire en générale.

1-      L’attente particulière en dehors de l’approche participative énoncée dans le libellé, réside sur le transit  des interventions d’urgences aux interventions de développement global.

En effet la majorité des organisations UN qui interviennent au Cameroun apportent essentiellement des réponses d’urgences localisées aux zones de crises (Extrême Nord et Est) , or les bénéficiaires ne représentent qu’un léger pourcentage de la population vulnérable à la faim observée dans tout le pays.   

2-      Il est important ici de soutenir les organisations locales, nationales et internationales qui à l’aide des moyens financiers, matériels et humains limités accompagnent les producteurs et les communautés villageoises à améliorer le potentiel de production local.

 Au Cameroun il existe un groupe GTSA (groupe de travail sur la sécurité alimentaire) qui regroupe tous les acteurs (administration, ONG, privé)  impliqués à la sécurité alimentaire. Le constat ici laisse clairement  entrevoir un manque de synchronisation des interventions sur le terrain, chaque organisme particulièrement les organismes avec des bailleurs exigeants du coup il est difficile de mesurer l’impact des interventions groupées.

En apportant des fonds de fonctionnement propre aux  groupes de travail sur sécurité alimentaire il est possible d’organiser des interventions groupées et orientées selon les plans de développement locaux.

3-      Le souci ici repose sur les orientations que les bailleurs donnent aux interventions à la sécurité alimentaire aux organismes financés. Nous observons généralement un  total déphasage avec la politique de développement local du secteur agricole donc interventions non mesurables en termes de développement. Ainsi il serait important pour les bailleurs d’être un peu plus flexible dans le processus de validation des projets financés en donnant plus d’opportunité aux organismes de concorder avec le plan de développement local.

4-      Les interventions contre la faim et la malnutrition reposent à 60% sur les sensibilisations (bonne pratiques agricoles, hygiène et diversification alimentaire, accompagnement psychosocial) des bénéficiaires,  c’est montrer ici la pertinence des formations/informations  des bénéficiaires mais aussi des éducateurs à s’adapter à des nouvelles approches de sensibilisation/vulgarisation. Ainsi les autres forum/mouvement peuvent aider à travers des transferts de compétence sur la facilitation des processus de mise en œuvre à accompagner les différents organismes dans la mise en œuvre des activités de sécurité alimentaire. 

Hello all members!

My contribution, in relation to the subject of discussion, is based on personal observation of UN interventions in Cameroon to do with food security in general.

1-     The particular expectation, besides the participative approach set out in the text, resides on the switch from emergency interventions to interventions for global development.

Indeed, the majority of UN organizations intervening in Cameroon contribute essentially localized emergency responses in crisis areas (Far North and East), yet the beneficiaries do not represent more than a small percentage of the population vulnerable to hunger observed in the country as a whole.   

2-      It is important here to support the local, national and international organizations which, with the help of limited financial, material and human resources, assist producers and village communities to improve the potential for local production.

In Cameroon there is a group called GTSA (groupe de travail sur la sécurité alimentaire, [Food Security Working Group]) which assembles all the actors (administration, NGOs, private) involved in food security. The conclusion here is that there is a clear lack of synchronization of interventions in the field, involving each organization,   in particular those with demanding sponsors, thus it is difficult to measure the impact of grouped interventions.

By contributing their own operating funds to working groups on food security, it is possible to organize grouped and targeted interventions according to local development plans.

3-         The worry here concerns the orientation that sponsors give to the food security interventions of the financed bodies. We observe, in general, a total lack of synchronization with the local development policy of the agricultural sector therefore interventions that are not measurable in terms of development. Thus, it would be important for the sponsors to be more flexible in the process of validation of projects funded, by giving more opportunities to the organizations to tie in with the local development plan.

4- The interventions against hunger and malnutrition are 60% dependent on the creation of awareness (good agricultural practices, health and food diversity, psycho-social support) in the recipients; this is to show here the relevance of training/information to recipients but also the need for instructors to adapt themselves to the new approaches of awareness/popularization. Thus the other fora/movements can help, through transfers of competence in the simplification of the processes of implementation, to support different organizations in the implementation of food security activities.

English translation below

J'avais oublié d'ajouter que la nutrition présente aussi une dimension institutionnelle. C'est pourquoi je parlais de système de nutrition dans chaque région (ou pays). Les institutions à la charge de la constitution et de la gestion des stocks alimentaires sont parties intégrantes de ce système. Elles influences de fait la nutrition des populations dans leurs espaces de compétences. C'est le cas par exemple de l'Office national d'appui à la sécurité alimentaire (ONASA) au Bénin.

I forgot to add that nutrition also presents an institutional dimension. This is why I mentioned a system of nutrition in each region (or country). The institutions in charge of building and managing food stocks are an integral part of this system. In fact they influence the nutrition of the population in their area of jurisdiction. Such is the case, for example, of the Office national d'appui à la sécurité alimentaire [National Food Security Office] (ONASA) in Benin.

English translation below

Le sujet en question est d'un grand intérêt pour l'humanité, surtout pour l'Afrique subsaharienne reconnue comme l'une des régions les plus touchées au monde par la malnutrition. Vu que la nutrition est au coeur de la formation du capital humain nécessaire au développement, il est important d'aborder le sujet avec une démarche techniquement valide. Un simple recueil d'avis et de propositions d'activités ne donnerait pas un bon résultat à mon avis. Il en sera de même pour des actions planifiées uniformément à travers toutes les régions. Car, la nutrition a un fondement socioculturel et économique. Elle mérite donc d'être abordée différemment selon les réalités socioculturelles et économiques des diverses régions du monde. A cet effet, des études socioéconomiques préalables - ne serait-ce que des études sommaires ou au moins une revue documentaire sur le sujet - sont indispensables pour définir des actions pertinentes, planifiées, avec indicateurs valides et mesurables jusqu'à l'échéance des dix (10) ans fixés. Je suggère que dans le meilleur des cas la démarche de planification stratégique soit adoptée, avec la participation des parties principales prenantes du système de nutrtion de chaque région (ou pays) afin de révéler objectivement les vrais goulots à attaquer suivant les régions. C'est ce qui permettra de parvenir à de meilleurs résultats; soit le recul sensible de la malnutrition au bout des dix (10) ans. C'est dire que des moyens financiers et techniques sont nécessaires à mobiliser pour que des résultats tangibles soient obtenus. Des moyens doivent être déployés à plusieurs niveaux: planification des actions, définition des indicateurs, mise en oeuvre des actions, suivi-évaluation et évaluation finale du programme.  

The subject in question is of great interest to humanity, in particular to Sub-Saharan Africa, recognized as one of the regions most affected by malnutrition at global level. Given that nutrition is at the heart of building of the human capital necessary for development, it is important to deal with the subject with a valid technical approach. In my view, just a compilation of opinions and proposals for action will not produce a worthwhile result. It will be the same for actions planned uniformly throughout all the regions, because nutrition has a sociocultural and economic foundation. Therefore it should be approached differently according to the sociocultural and economic realities of the different regions in the world. To this effect, initial socioeconomic studies – even if only summary studies or at least a documentary review of the subject - are indispensable in order to define the relevant actions, planned with valid and measurable indicators covering a fixed period of 10 years. I suggest that the best option would be to adopt the strategic planning approach with the participation of the main parties involved in the nutrition system of each region (or country) with the task of revealing objectively the true bottlenecks to deal with in each region. This will enable better results to be achieved; i.e. the measurable reduction of malnutrition at the end of 10 years. That means that financial and technical means must be mobilized in order to obtain tangible results. Means should be deployed at different levels for: planning of actions, definition of indicators, implementation of actions, follow-up assessment and final evaluation of the program. 

Welcome Christine Campeau!

1. The experience from past 'decades' has not been too good. We need to do better --a challenge. Significant difference will only come from public interest CSOs and social movements pushing MS to commit to action plans and then hold them accountable for it on, at least, a year-to-year basis. Changes will NOT come from above... Moreover, it is time we begin talking about food-and-nutrition-security and NOT food security and nutrition...

2. Critical is to refocus the decade on the HR framework clearly identifying claim holders and duty bearers and doing a capacity analysis of what the expected roles are that pertain to both groups. A massive HR learning process will be the only thing that will lead to this. A process of empowerment of claim holders to organize, mobilize and demand needed changes is key. Withouth this, we can anticipate little happening or just token steps 'to keep up with the Joneses' and save face in front of the intl community.  Moreover, it is not for us to top-down decide priorities! It is the claim holders suffering violations of their right to nutrition to lead in deciding priority actions.

3. This is a push or pull question. Only pulling from claim holders will move the decade ahead. UN and other intl agencies can do little to push MS to commit. History is clear about this. Forget about private sector actors being involved in empowering claim holders: counterintuitive to them.... This is why so many of us are skeptical about the SUN Initiative with is well exposed conflicts of interest. As said, CSOs have the crucial role in monitoring progress made in the progressive realization of 10 year plans to fulfil the right to nutrition. Annual benchmarks of processes-set-in-motion have to be set so that CSOs can asses progress, stagnation or retrogression on an annual basis with something like shadow reports.

4. CFS, UNSCN and others' (including the CSM) contribution to the decade is very important, BUT along the lines of what I say above. If shy on this, we will be discussing the same shortcomings by the end of the decade.

This is my personal opinion.

Claudio in Ho Chi Minh City