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Ph:DR: This forum to help improve nutrition and food security
Focused on the theme: “Ensuring that all children aged 6 to 23 months in all contexts have access to a diverse diet”, this public-private regional forum for children’s first foods is being held from September 12 to 14, 2023 in Cotonou. During the three days of work launched by the Minister of State, Abdoulaye Bio Tchané, participants will explore practical solutions to improve the food and nutrition system for children.
Indeed, child malnutrition remains a reality in West and Central Africa. According to recent reports, nearly a third of children, or 32%, suffer from stunted growth while nearly 80% do not benefit from sufficient dietary diversity. This observation calls for urgent collective action, the reason for this forum.
“It is important to understand the changes occurring throughout agri-food systems and to introduce a focus for young children” declared Mr. Salvator NIYONZIMA, Resident Coordinator of the United Nations System in Benin. “This forum is all the more important as it takes place in a context marked by multifaceted crises in the community space” he added.
Following him, Gordon Jonathan Lewis, Deputy Regional Director of UNICEF noted that “one of the major causes of malnutrition is the limited access of young children to a healthy, nutritious and diversified diet to support their growth and development. A challenge that Unicef has set itself and which, according to it, justifies the holding of this forum.” “Let’s start today by sharing our experiences, expertise and commitments to nutrition” he pleaded.
On behalf of the Government and the Beninese Head of State, the Minister of State in charge of Development and Coordination of Government Action, Abdoulaye Bio Tchané, placed particular emphasis on the government’s flagship actions to counteract the malnutrition and food insecurity especially among young children.
Apart from the adoption of the National Development Plan PND 2018-2025, the PAG 2021-2026 gives pride of place to this component with the execution of the PNASI which today allows two (2) children out of 4 to be feed properly at school.
A high-impact project which today reaches 75% coverage nationally and delights the grassroots populations.
The indicators are green in Benin and it is important that the efforts undertaken are consolidated, underlined the Minister of State. “This forum is a real opportunity for everyone to build together a broad response to key problems and thus contribute to improving nutrition and food security.”
Furthermore, he said he had no doubts about the outcome of the work which will bring certain added value to the development efforts tirelessly undertaken by the Beninese government and its Head, President Patrice Talon.
This Cotonou meeting follows the Regional Conference on Child Feeding held in Dakar in September 2022. (Gouv.bj)
