In the fight against malnutrition, PAM runs programmes to improve the livelihoods of women farmers through improved fruit and vegetable gardening, food processing, utilization and value addition; rearing of small livestock to mention a few. PAM has been collaborating with the NFNC in various researches, and NFNC provides technical backstopping in most of its activities.
Formed in the early 1990s the association has a mission to provide leadership in addressing issues around the nutrition profession through effective and efficient advocacy and linkages contributing to improved nutrition status of Zambians. The association has membership of over 100 professionals, including nutritionists from NFNC, who provide a rich team of technical experts drawing from their professional practice. NAZ has been the co-chair in the Nutrition Capacity Building Committee and a member of the SUN Fund dispersing group to ensure accountability.
UNZA through the School of Agricultural Sciences offers a 5 year degree in Human Nutrition whose first cohort of graduates is expected to complete their studies in 2016. The aim of the degree is to create a cadre of health professionals who can work in dietetics and nutrition with individuals, families and communities. The NFNC has also conducted some research with the school of Agriculture such as the determination of food composition which was used to revise the 2008 food composition tables.
NRDC is a government institute positioned under the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock. It offers full time and distance learning in agricultural related courses underwritten by the University of Zambia. For several decades, NRDC has been offering a 3 year diploma in Food and Nutrition. The NFNC participated in the review of the diploma curriculum and development of the degree programme curriculum. For many years, students have been attached to the commission during vacations.
The main aim of the World Fish Centre Project is to reduce poverty and hunger by improving fisheries and aquaculture among the poor communities. NFNC has been collaborating with the WFC in this area.
Currently, World Vision Zambia conducts targeted emergency relief projects in partnership with the government, other non-governmental organisations and churches. Other large scale initiatives implemented in the past three years include the USAID funded programmes RAPIDS (Reaching HIV and AIDS Affected People with Integrated Development and Support) and STEPS OVC (Sustainability Through Economic Strengthening, Prevention And Support For Orphans & Vulnerable Children).
CSOSUN is a movement of national civil society organizations working to raise the profile of nutrition on the national development agenda through strengthened policy, financial commitment and adequate programme implementation. The NFNC works with CSOSUN in the area of nutrition communication and advocacy as well as provides technical backstopping in some of the organizations activities.
Nutrition groups are non-profit making organisations registered and guided by the NFNC. Their major objective is to assist communities address the problems of malnutrition. Their work complements the mandate of the NFNC in that they operate as the implementing agency at community level. The main activities carried out by nutrition groups include home visits, identification of malnourished children and referring them to the relevant institutions, providing nutrition education to mention a few.
The institute with its unique laboratory facilities and experience is a leading research and development institution in Zambia. Key to nutrition is the Post-harvest Food Processing and Nutrition unit which develops post-harvest food processing technologies and provide services for the food industry and communities. NISIR has also been collaborating with NFNC in areas of food fortification such as the fortifying of sugar with vitamin A.
TDRC was set up in 1975 by WHO/TDR as one of three World’s Regional Centres for research in tropical diseases such as malaria, schistosomiasis, trypanosomiasis, filariasis etc. TDRC has had collaborative work with the NFNC such as the recent 2011 Food Consumption Survey, 2009 Iodine deficiency disorders study and several others.
CARE International aims to prevent the spread of disease, increase access to clean, safe water and sanitation, and improve maternal infant and young child nutrition. It has worked with NFNC in the area of research and is also the main fund manager of the Scaling Up Nutrition movement for the 1st 1000 MCDPs. NFNC has provided technical backstopping in some of its projects.