The growth and development of children is clearly related to a country’s economic and social development.  Appropriate nutrition during the first 1,000 days of a child’s life has a profound impact on a child’s ability to grow, learn, and rise out of poverty. It can also shape a society’s long-term health, stability and prosperity.  

Today, undernutrition is still a leading cause of death of young children throughout the world. Annually, more than six thousand Cambodian children under the age of 5 years die as a result of maternal malnutrition, underweight and wasting, poor infant feeding practices or micronutrient deficiencies. For infants and children under the age of two, the consequences of undernutrition are particularly severe, often irreversible, and reach far into the future. Malnutrition, resulting in stunting of children, undermines human capital and economic productivity. 

It is crucial to start addressing the causes of malnutrition, including complementary feeding practices, access to safe drinking water and improved sanitation facilities, as nearly half of child deaths under the age of 5 years are attributable to various forms of undernutrition in Cambodia.  For these reasons, and in anticipation of results from the 2014 Cambodia Demographic and Health Survey (CDHS) and Micronutrient Status Survey, the Council for Agricultural and Rural Development (CARD) is convening a National Nutrition Conference in March 2015. 

The Conference will bring together scientists and key policy makers, international, regional and national experts and program managers as well as representatives from government ministries, the private sector, NGOs, and donor program implementers.  Participants will share scientific and programmatic information and experiences related to child growth and malnutrition in Cambodia and the region.

The Conference provides an opportunity to engage organizations in discussion and debate on the most recent Cambodian data and scientific findings and their relevance to current programs and policies aimed at improving food and nutrition security.  A result of this forum will be the identification of specific goals and tasks to increase the impact of programs to reduce child stunting and a commitment from all interested organizations on their roles in achieving the goals of national strategies and policies aimed at improving food and nutrition security in Cambodia.

Where: Intercon Hotel, Phnom Penh, Cambodia
When: 3-4 March 2015
Event: The Conference will bring together 300 participants to share scientific and programmatic information and experiences related to child growth and malnutrition in Cambodia and the region.