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VP Emmerson Mnangagwa

Nduduzo Tshuma  Political Editor
VICE-PRESIDENT Emmerson Mnangagwa yesterday launched the Zimbabwe National Nutrition Strategy (NNS) for 2014-2018 that seeks to ensure nutrition security through the implementation of integrated interventions within a broad public health framework that includes health services, water and sanitation.

VP Mnangagwa launched the strategy during the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair Business Conference in Bulawayo, where he was the guest speaker.

Yesterday’s launch follows that of the Food and Nutrition Security Policy (FNSP) of Zimbabwe by President Robert Mugabe in May 2013.

The goal of the FNSP is, “to promote and ensure adequate food and nutrition security for all people at all times in Zimbabwe, particularly among the most vulnerable and in line with our cultural norms and values and the concept of rebuilding and maintaining family dignity”.
VP Mnangagwa said food and nutrition security exists when all people, at all times have physical and economic access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food to meet their dietary needs for a healthy and productive life.

On the other hand, VP Mnangagwa said, food and nutrition insecurity leads to a vicious cycle of malnutrition, increased susceptibility to disease, impaired mental and physical development, reduced productivity and poverty, resulting in compromised respectability and dignity.

“Zimbabwe faces a growing level of chronic malnutrition, which is exacerbated by food insecurity and deepening poverty.  This challenge is certainly beyond the capacity of a single sector or agency to address, hence requires multi-sectoral interventions,” said VP Mnangagwa in his foreword.

He said the government had as a result developed NNS whose main objective is to implement Commitment V (5) of the FNSP.
Commitment V (5) of the FNSP underscores the government’s commitment to ensuring nutrition security for all through the implementation of evidence based nutrition interventions that are integrated within a broad public health framework including health services, water and sanitation.

“Indeed, these efforts are in line with the Zimbabwe Agenda for Sustainable Socio-Economic Transformation (Zim Asset), which has identified Food Security and Nutrition as one of the Four Clusters and pillars for implementation in the next five years,” said VP Mnangagwa.

“The Food and Nutrition Security Policy and its implementation matrix provide a holistic framework in which the National Nutrition Strategy will address the challenges of malnutrition in a multi-sectoral manner.”

VP Mnangagwa said the reconstitution of the Food and Nutrition Security multi-stakeholders committees at the national, provincial, district and ward level will buttress the implementation of the National Nutrition Strategy.

“The implementation of the Strategy will require the participation and involvement of stakeholders at all levels from the community to the national level, including the public sector (Line Ministries, Agencies and Local Government Authorities); higher learning and training institutions, professional bodies, private sector, development partners, civil society, the media and the community at large,” he said.

“Addressing issues of nutrition security remains top on the agenda of the government, and as such the government of Zimbabwe shall assume primary responsibility for resource mobilisation funding the strategy and delivering targets set while development partners will complement government efforts.”

VP Mnangagwa said the Ministry of Health and Child Care’s National Nutrition Department will spearhead the implementation of the strategy with the Food and Nutrition Council maintaining its coordination role of multiple stakeholders.