Posted on July, 19, 2019 at 10:39 am
WORLD Food Programme (WFP) is working with Sokoine University of Agriculture (SUA) experts to develop local recipes for fortified foods and micronutrient powders to be used in projects to support food security and nutrition in Tanzania.
WFP Tanzania Country Representative Michael Dunford said in Dar es Salaam yesterday that the move was an element of development research to see if it would be feasible to have specialised nutritious food and micronutrients powders locally supplied to reduce operating costs associated with their imports.
“We are working with SUA to see if we can come up with a recipe for fortified food that is locally sourced and affordable,” he told the `Daily News’ in an interview.
The UN organisation is supporting the government efforts to combat malnutrition in all its forms and is distributing specialised nutritious foods to address stunting.
It also supports refugees and other vulnerable people in Tanzania, including host communities, to meet their basic food and nutrition requirements.
Mr Dunford said the research development work with SUA came on the back of success of their BoreshaLishe that began last year in Dodoma and Singida regions to improve food security and nutrition.
The project seeks to improve access to and use of nutritious food by women and children through social behaviour change communication and through the diversification of food production in Bahi and Chamwino districts in Dodoma region and Ikungi and Singida Rural districts in Singida region.
The WFP country chief said initial assessment showed positive changes in the communities where they were working with in the two regions in terms of improvements in dietary behaviour, food and nutrition intake of pregnant and breastfeeding women. “We are seeing evidence that gradually women better understand nutritious diets.
We see evidence of behaviour change towards the production and use of nutritious diversified diet. Home gardens for vegetables are established by the communities as well as small-scale livestock projects,” he noted.
Under the BoreshaLishe project, pregnant and breastfeeding women have been receiving specialised nutritious foods to meet their energy needs and support the healthy growth of their newborns.
The women are also being taught how to prepare meals for children after six months of exclusive breastfeeding. Women are also supported to start up home gardens and poultry projects to enhance household food and nutrition security. The project supports women to begin community managed savings and loan groups.
The WFP country representative said they were also assisting the government in developing the capacity of its disaster management and social protection systems to reliably address the basic food and nutrition needs of the poorest and most vulnerable populations throughout the year, including in times of crisis.
“WFP is also assisting to strengthen early warning systems linked to the support of the National Food Reserve Agency as the government’s arm in maintaining adequate emergency stocks,” he said.
Source: Daily News