545 farmers receive certificates

Blessing Rwizi
ABOUT 545 farmers from Mutasa were last week awarded with Extended Nutrition Impact Positive Practice Approach (ENIPPA) certificates. ENIPPA is a direct nutrition strategy that focuses on identifying the key causes of malnutrition for and find solutions to its security improvement and care practices of farmer households either affected by or at risk of malnutrition.

This was done through participatory nutrition or health learning which included hygiene-sanitation as well as diet diversity promotion.

The programme which ran for the past six month was being implemented under the Livelihoods and Food Security Programme facilitated by Goal Zimbabwe and Practical Action.

Trainings were conducted at Pafiwa in Ward11, Sagambe in Ward 1, Sadziwa in Ward 12, Sherukuru in Ward 14 and Gatsi in Ward 6.

These farmers met regularly to share knowledge and practice skills of both men and women using locally available resources.

Sessions were led by positive deviants that were chosen by the community and ENIPPA volunteers.

Positive deviance in nutrition describes children who grow and develop adequately in poor families and communities, where a high number of children are malnourished and frequently ill.

However, knowledge and skills were provided to participants through practical behaviour change sessions, micro-gardening for improved household nutrition security and participatory cooking demonstrations, for improved nutritional status, feeding and care practices.

Practical Action Nutrition Project Officer, Miss Vongai Nyabanga, said: “In Manicaland Province, Mutare had the highest stunting prevalence at 47.2 percent, with Mutasa at 40.1 percent and Makoni at 38.7 percent of children aged between six and 59 months. However, the prevalence of acute malnutrition and underweight appears to be declining as compared to the early 90s. The ENIPPA programme was therefore worthwhile since improvements are quite more visible within the district now”.

One of ENIPPA grandaunds, Mrs Mary Chinobva, said most farming households in Mutasa now had increased healthy nutrition related behaviour.

“We now have access to safe and nutritious foods which now enable us to have a Minimum Acceptable Diet (MAD) and show positive nutrition behaviours. We have also adopted improved agricultural and business practices as we are now successfully engaged with markets. This is evidenced by increased productivity and profitability within our communities. We are grateful of the ideas that were brought within us,” said Mrs Chinobva.