CSO-SUN calls for the review of the relief food package

Civil Society Scaling Up Nutrition Alliance (CSO-SUN) has called for the review of the relief food package in order to protect the nutrition status of affected people.

CSO SUN Country Coordinator Mathew Mhuru says most of the food aid interventions have not been nutrition sensitive and are mono diet based.

Mr Mhuru is saddened with the lack of food diversity in the national food strategic reserve and failure by the Food Reserve Agency to come up with clear policies which can respond to food shortages in the country.

He says Zambia has one of the worst rates of undernourishment, with more than a third of children under five having stunted growth and a quarter of adults being obese, a situation he says is a wakeup call for the country to think beyond maize and focus on food security and nutritional diversity.

Speaking at a media breakfast meeting in Lusaka today, Mr. Mhuru says government will need to ensure access to safe and nutritious foods for all by investing in a diverse crop and livestock production and re-strategize on its national food reserve by incorporating other nutritious foods aside from maize, soya beans and paddy rice.

He notes that there is lack of clear policies that can address national disasters such hunger.

Mr. Mhuru states that the current food packs being distributed to hunger stricken areas make them more vulnerable as they do not meet their dietary needs.