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GIZ FANSER Project ZAMBIA has handed over various types of Information Education Communication materials worth K212, 000.00 to the National Food and Nutrition Commission.The gesture is aimed at enhancing communication materials for the organization.
Moritz Heldmann Programme Coordinator, Agriculture and Food Security Programme GIZ ZAMBIA says the handing over of the I.E.C materials is one out of the many steps in the collaboration in the fight against malnutrition in the country.
Heldmann says that even though the FANSER Project is aimed at improving the nutritional status of people in Petauke and Katete in the Eastern province of Zambia, GIZ ZAMBIA is looking beyond the two districts and has decided to give NFNC additional support. The materials will be used to train beneficiaries in all parts of the country.
“This is a major step to continue joint work to fight malnutrition in the country. I am positive that the handed over materials will be given to the right recipients by NFNC,” says Heldmann.
NFNC Acting Executive Director Musonda Mofu says the food consumption patterns in the country require urgent attention, he said this during the handover ceremony of the IEC materials.
He says last year the government of Zambia hosted a national Nutrition Summit where it was clear that the nutritional status of the country needs serious attention and that, currently Zambia, has been classified as one of the hungriest countries in the world.
“Micronutrient deficiencies are a problem according to statistics in the country and the nutritional status continues to remain challenged,” Mofu says. “The Government of the Republic of Zambia has called upon the NFNC to ensure that the nutrition status in the country is improved. Through research NFNC realizes that the main reason the nutrition situation remained challenged in the country is that people lack nutrition information.”
Mofu says it is important that NFNC disseminates appropriate nutrition information to the general public in order for them to make correct decisions and that the Nutritional status of the Zambian population can only improve if the right information and skills are given to the people who work in different sectors. Mofu was very grateful that within a short time GIZ FANSER project ZAMBIA was able to respond to the call, which was made due to an instruction by the Government of Zambia.
The materials included policy documents, posters, booklets, fliers and brochures on malnutrition, infant and young child feeding, breastfeeding and bean recipes.
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