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Herald Reporter
Zimbabwe is on the right path to achieve its nutritional targets as set out by United Nations agencies and is an example which other countries must emulate if they are to eradicate malnutrition, Canadian-based international non-governmental organisation Nutrition International has said.
Nutrition International works to eliminate vitamin and mineral deficiencies and has collaborated with many countries and UN agencies in its work.
It was a participant to the high-level meeting on the Theme of the African Year of Nutrition 2022 which was held in West Africa last week.
After listening to Zimbabwe’s plan on eradicating malnutrition, which was presented by Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development Minister Dr Anxious Masuka on behalf of Vice President and Minister of Health and Child Care Dr Constantino Chiwenga, Nutrition International president and chief executive Mr Joel Spicer was impressed.
Mr Spicer noted that malnutrition was a huge challenge afflicting the world, including First World countries, and the world needed to up step efforts if this were to be eradicated.
Nutrition is a key indicator of people’s lives and President Mnangagwa has prioritised its improvement as evidenced by the establishment of a Cabinet committee on food security and nutrition, assigning his deputy to chair the committee.
“I think as evidenced by the fact that we have a representative of the Vice President of Zimbabwe, that indicates a high level of awareness and political commitment already,” said Mr Spicer after Minister Masuka’s presentation.
“There is no country in the world that is doing enough for nutrition because the triple burden of malnutrition is coming to all of us, even in my country of Canada.”
“What I am hearing is a high degree of multi-sectoral action, they are talking about schools how to use school feeding programmes, they are talking about low cost high nutritional interventions, they are talking about how to tackle anaemia.
“I would say Zimbabwe is on a good track. More needs to happen, resources are always a problem too. How can a country scale up more resources?
“We have to look at multilateral development banks as well and how they can invest to support country efforts.
“But countries need leadership, a plan and the will to end malnutrition and I think some of the conditions are in place in Zimbabwe to be a beacon for the world,” said Mr Spicer.
Concrete steps to improve people’s lives are at the centre of President Mnangagwa’s thrust to development.
Online Reporter