Representatives from Government, civil society, UN agencies and other partners gathered at the workshop

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) has today begun a two-day workshop on the theme of Home Gardens and Nutrition Education within the FAO Mozambique Millennium Development Goal 1c sub-programme (MDG 1c).

Present at the workshop are representatives of the ministries of Health (MISAU) and Education (MINEDH) and the Technical Secretariat for Food Security and Nutrition (SETSAN), MDG 1C partners International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and World Food Programme (WFP) as well as development and implementing partners including community-based organisations (CBOs) and the Association of Nutrition and Food Security (ANSA).

Speaking at the opening of the workshop, the Coordinator of the FAO MDG 1c sub-programme, Walter de Oliveira, emphasized that "the multidimensional nature of nutrition requires a multidisciplinary approach that includes all aspects of food security and nutrition, while at the same time ensuring that sustainable solutions are advanced. For this reason the MDG1c programme adopts an approach that involves the Government of Mozambique through SETSAN and key sectors and works collaboratively with the Rome-based organizations FAO, IFAD and WFP.

This workshop is the initial activity on the implementation of the sub-component of home gardens and nutrition education, with the purpose of mobilizing relevant stakeholders to share a common vision, strategy and framework for home garden and nutrition education activities. The event will raise awareness about the FAO MDG1c sub-component on home gardens and nutrition education amongst key stakeholders at both district and national level and will pave the way for a consensus on a training and education package for the relevant activities in the areas of intervention. Representing the European Union (EU) at the event, Imelda Fernandes commented that the EU has "great expectations for this sub-component and hopes that the livelihoods of the 28.000 families that are the target group will improve and that they will share the knowledge they learn with other families in their communities."

In the discussion during the first morning of the workshop, it was observed that the linking of agricultural development and nutrition education actions have a significant impact on the reduction of malnutrition and the increase in income generation capabilities. Commenting on this issue, SETSAN representative António Paulo remarked that they are happy with the programme's emphasis on both food production and proper food preparation. "In the past, the focus was just on the former, while now there is a growing appreciation for the equal importance of promoting the consumption of nutritious food."

The overall aim of the MDG 1c Programme, funded by the European Union and the Government of Mozambique, is to speed up progress towards achieving the first Millennium Development Goal to reduce hunger and to improve food security and nutrition in Mozambique.