FAO, Tanzania join hands to strengthen food, nutrition security information system
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the Government of Tanzania through the Ministry of Agriculture have launched a special project that aims to strengthen Tanzania’s Food and Nutrition Security Information System (MUCHALI). Besides, the project will also work to strengthen the Zanzibar Food and Nutrition Security Information and Early Warning System (ZFSNIEWS).
The launch was held in Dodoma city whereby the Director of Disaster Management Department-Prime Minister’s Office, Col. Jimmy Matamwe, was the chief guest accompanied by FAO’s Programme Officer for Nutrition and Food Security, Stella Kimambo.
Govt underscores food and nutrition security issues
Speaking at the launch, Col. Matamwe said that the Government lays emphasis on issues around food and nutrition security in the country to ensure that everyone gets enough nutritional food all the time.
“Food and nutrition security is still an issue in the country, millions of people especially the group from poor households are more prone,” he said adding: “to ensure food and nutrition security there should be regular follow up and taking of necessary steps for sustainability.”
According to him, to effectively addressing food and nutrition insecurity issue, it is crucial to clearly qualify each food insecurity situation, determine its level of severity, identify causes and provide tools for decision makers of which all these need capacitated food and nutrition security system for quality, timely, reliable data and information.
The strengthening of the existing systems i.e. MUCHALI and ZFSNIEWS will ensure the high quality data, statistics and information are available and easily accessible across sectors for monitoring of the food and nutrition security situation at various levels for decision-making.
Credible data key in decision-making
On her side, Ms. Kimambo said that FAO was pleased to be working with the Government through the food and nutrition security experts in order to strengthen the system to enhance the availability of reliable, accurate and timely data that are key for decision-making.
“Decision makers rely on credible data that are accurate and timely in order to address the challenges of food and nutrition insecurity in time before their effects are widespread and affect many people,” she said.
In implementing the project, there will be a training for 78 food and nutrition security experts from MUCHALI teams from President’s Office Regional Administration and Local Governments, Prime Minister’s Office (Disaster Management Department), Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Livestock and Fisheries, Ministry of Trade Industry and Investment, Tanzania Food and Nutrition Centre and Tanzania Meteorological Agency.
Others were from the University of Dodoma, Sokoine University of Agriculture and the National Food Reserve Agency and the Ministry of Agriculture Natural Resources Livestock and Fisheries (Zanzibar).