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The National Food and Nutrition Commission (NFNC) has today disbursed grants to seven vulnerable nutrition groups in order to increase food availability across the country.
NFNC Acting Executive Director Musonda Mofu presented the cheques amounting to K45, 000 to the nutrition groups from Chadiza, Chipata, Chirundu, Kafue, Kitwe, Petauke and Siavonga.
Mr. Mofu challenged the groups to venture into mass vegetable and fruit tree nursery planting in their respective districts.
He said the funds would make a significant difference in people’s lives and hoped that more households would have food to eat throughout the year.
Mr. Mofu said the major challenges facing the nutrition sector in the last 20 years were low dietary diversity, low nutrition interventions among the people, high infection rates and poor water and sanitation among children and adults.
He noted that there were a total of 80 registered nutrition groups in Zambia but only 10 were viable and were supported by the Commission.
And passing a vote of thanks, Jason Kamanga from the Chipata nutrition group commended the Commission for the initiative of providing food.
Mr. Kamanga assured that the funds would be utilized for the intended purposes so that future groups can benefit.
Meanwhile, Civil Society Scaling-up Nutrition Alliance Communications Officer Eneya Phiri said the organisations would lobby government to increase access to food among the citizens of Zambia.
Mr. Phiri refuted the report released by the Food and Agriculture Organisation that Zambia was one of the most undernourished countries in Africa describing it as inaccurate.
The Food and Agriculture Organisation recently issued the state of world insecurity report which showed that Zambia has the highest number of undernourished people in Africa and second in the world with Haiti being on the top slot.
Vice President Guy Scott reacted sharply last week saying there were a number of countries in Africa that are struggling with issue of undernourishment and Zambia does not rank among them.
