By Abigirl Tembo, Health Editor
ZIMBABWE has made great strides in fighting hunger and malnutrition through promoting nutrition sensitive agriculture and food systems as it aims to reduce the prevalence of stunting among children aged five and under.
This came up during the high level dialogue on the theme of the Africa year underway in Cote d’Ivoire.
According to a recent report released at the ongoing High Level Dialogue on the Theme of the African Year, Zimbabwe is among some of the African countries which have made great strides towards achieving the Malabo Declaration which speaks to ending hunger by 2025.
A nutrition expert in Zimbabwe’s Food and Nutrition Council, Ms Siboniso Chigova attributes the milestones achieved in the agricultural sector to political commitment from the country’s leaders.
“Looking at the global nutrition report of 2021, Zimbabwe is on track to meet three of its maternal infant and young nutrition indicators. One of the indicators is stunting reduction where the rate of reduction is on track for us to meet the 2025 targets of having stunting levels around 17%. We also have been trying to manage the micro nutrient deficiency as well, so we are doing fairly well looking at the regional reports like the CAADP,” said Chingova.
A nutrition expert from Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP), Ms Panduleni Elago outlined some of the continent’s commitments towards ending hunger by 2025.
“We want to record 40 per cent reduction of stunted growth by 2025, 50 percent reduction in anaemia, 30 percent of low birth weight as well as recording no further increase in obesity. Only one country out of 51 member states is close to ending hunger by 2025,” she indicated.
According to the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) report, Zimbabwe is leading on the continent in ensuring that there are evidence based policies, supportive institutions and corresponding human resources, critical in ending hunger by 2025 as stated by the Malabo Declarations.
