Did you eat your vitamins and minerals today?
The Westfield Monument was transformed this Tuesday the 15 October 2019 by the presence of musicians, singers, dancers, colour balloons, farmers and their bio-fortified produces. They created the festive backdrop for FAO’s launch of the two mobile “Healthy Diet Caravans” that in the coming days will travel around the country to key markets and cities. The aim is to spread the word and sensitize the public about the health benefits of eating healthy and diverse diets, and to encourage the consumption of micronutrient rich foods. The activity is supported by the project “Improving food security and nutrition in The Gambia through Food Fortification”.
The Caravan “DID YOU EAT YOUR VITAMINS AND MINERALS TODAY?” aims to raise awareness and consumer demand for fortified and micronutrient rich foods through nutrition education and social behaviour change communication. For this purpose, newly developed nutrition education materials on food and bio-fortification will also be launched and used by the caravan to inform the population. The campaign will be rolled out in two phases, with the first phase starting today in West Coast Region targeting market days. In fact the launch, couldn’t have been planned at a better time, as it coincides with the World Food Day Celebrations on the 16 October, that this year focuses on the theme ‘Our Actions –Our Future, Healthy diets for a Zero Hunger world’.Phase two will start on the 19th October covering main market days from Upper River Regions, Central River Region, Lower River Region and North Bank Region.
“Nutrition is one of the most important contributors to human health. People who eat whole foods rich in nutrients live longer and are protected against many chronic illnesses. Over the years, the government of The Gambia and partners worked hand in hand to reduce stunting from 24.4% in 2010 to 19% in 2018 (MICS) , however, more needs to be done; malnutrition remains a major problem in The Gambia”, said Ms Moshibudi Rampedi, FAO’s Country representative, when highlighting in her speech the positive results already achieved.
Ms Rampedi added that micronutrient deficiencies or “Hidden Hunger” such as Vitamin A Deficiency (VAD), Iron Deficiency Anemia (IDA) and Iodine Deficiency Disorders (IDD) are a major public health concern in The Gambia. Similarly, these affect mostly children under the age of five and women of reproductive age (15-49 year old) mainly due to inadequate intake of micronutrients from the daily diet.
The good news is that opportunities exist to fight against malnutrition and especially micronutrient deficiencies.
Hence, FAO under the European Union (EU) funded project “Improving food security and nutrition in The Gambia through Food Fortification” is working with relevant government institutions in collaboration with United Purpose to improve the food and nutrition security of vulnerable women and children under the age of five to ensure access to and consumption of micronutrient rich foods.
The EU is not only a vital donor that is funding about 80% of FAO’s projects in the Gambia, the EU has in fact become a major financial actor in terms of food and nutrition security with around 20 MEUR of development grant aid programmed in 2016/17 and presently under implementation.
“Undernutrition traps individuals and society in the vicious circle of poverty. Children growing up in poor households are more likely to suffer from undernutrition, which undermines their ability to learn and makes them more prone to disease and illness. This hinders a child’s capacity to secure a job as an adult and to lead a productive life, thus perpetuating generational poverty. Undernutrition is especially severe among poor rural populations and those suffering from discrimination”, said Mr Darrell Sexstone, Programme Manager at EU delegation in The Gambia.
The Permanent Secretary of the office of the vice president, Momodou Lamin Jaiteh, read the statement in representation of the vice president. “This launching is part of the celebrations of the World Food Day (WFD) with the theme: “Our Actions, Our Future – Healthy Diets for a Zero Hunger World”. Effective and sustainable food fortification and bio-fortification are crucial interventions for the prevention and control of malnutrition, especially micronutrient malnutrition”, Momodou Lamin Jaiteh announced, adding that the Gambia Micronutrient Survey (GMNS) from 2018 shows that 50,4% of children under 5 and 50,9% of non-pregnant women are anaemic. He also reaffirmed that the Government of the Gambia is committed to reducing and eliminating micronutrient deficiencies by ensuring food and nutrition security for the Gambian population. Jaiteh furthermore thanked the EU, FAO, NaNA, United Purpose and other key partners for their tireless efforts to make the implementation of the nutrition projects a reality.
He concluded his statement by announcing the appointment of the musician, Jalibah Kuyateh, as Nutrition Ambassador, as proposed by the master of ceremony, the Executive Director of the National Nutrition Agency (NaNA),Modou Cheyassin Phall. Kuyateh and his band entertained the whole event with his band, and conveys a strong message in his song “Korosi” that was commissioned and written especially for the Food Fortification Project.