Q FM Africa's Modern Radio
A Consortium of Civil Society Organisations has warned that Zambia is off target and may not achieve the African Union target of halving poverty, ending hunger and reducing child stunting to 10 percent and underweight to 5 percent by 2025.
The Netherlands Development Organization (SNV), Civil Society Scaling Up Nutrition Alliance and Civil Society for Poverty Reduction have further said that Zambia is also off-track in achieving the Nutrition 4 growth targets which pledge to drive greater action towards ending malnutrition and helping to ensure everyone, everywhere can reach their full potential.
Speaking at a joint media briefing, CSO-SUN Country Coordinator Mathews Mhuru bemoaned Zambia’s slow pace towards reducing malnutrition at only 1 percent on an annual basis.
Mr Mhuru says all the documents that support nutrition have expired among them the National Food and Nutrition Commission Strategic Plan and first 1,000 most critical days programme.
He has since urged the new dawn government to lead actions to tackle nutrition as a matter of urgency which should include demonstrating a commitment to nutrition through action and financial commitment.
Meanwhile Mr Mhuru has charged that the increase in fuel pump prices will affect the delivery of President Hakainde Hichilema campaign promise of ensuring that citizens have three meals a day.
And SNV Nutrition Programs Manager, Tendai Gunda is saddened that currently in Zambia, one out of three children is stunted.
Ms Gunda states that as an act of commitment, government should establish a high-level governance structure of the Special Committee of Permanent Secretaries to coordinate actions on nutrition under the management of the Vice President as required by the National Food and Nutrition Security Act. She has further challenged government to present to the nation, the actions to be taken to ensure Zambians have three decent meals daily, stating now