The governor of Nampula province, Eduardo Abdula, expressed his dissatisfaction with the current situation that places his territory as the leader in cases of chronic malnutrition in Mozambique, in contrast with its abundant agricultural production.
This concern was shared by the governor on Thursday (10th) at the opening of the 1st International Conference on Nutrition and Agribusiness, a two-day event attended by government representatives, academics, researchers, and politicians.
Nampula province, the most populous in Mozambique with 6.7 million inhabitants, has the highest rate of chronic malnutrition in the country, 46.7 percent among children under five years old. The figures for Nampula are also alarming regarding low birth weight, at 2.9 percent, and acute malnutrition, at 9.1 percent.
Nampula has the highest rates of child poverty, with more than two million children out of about 3.5 million, or 27 percent, living in this situation.
“Let’s be frank: it is hard to accept that a province so rich in natural resources, with such high levels of agricultural production, continues to be among those with the highest rates of chronic malnutrition in the country. This reality is harsh and worrying. But it is also the starting point for a turning point we want to begin today,” stated the governor.
He highlighted the importance of the nutrition topic in provoking social engagement in the province.
“To talk about nutrition is also to talk about education, health, food culture, infrastructure, and local knowledge. That is why this conference makes us so proud: because it brings together all knowledge and all wills. And because we believe that science, allied with social commitment, can transform realities and change destinies,” he defended.
In conclusion, Abdula emphasized his desire to see a well-nourished Nampula.
“We want more effective public policies, more inclusive programs, more sustainable projects. And above all, we want a better-nourished, healthier, and stronger Nampula. As governments, as citizens, as a society, around a common ideal: to guarantee all our fellow citizens the right to dignified, healthy, and sustainable food, free from malnutrition.”
For her part, the executive secretary of the Technical Secretariat for Food and Nutrition Security (STESAN), Judite Mussácula, recalled that the government of Mozambique approved the first strategic policy and action plan on food and nutrition security, which was launched on June 20th.
“The development of the strategic policy on food and nutrition security involved the contribution of all sectors of society. With this policy, together we can understand our mission, vision, and objectives for every segment of food and nutrition security, starting at the district level with the District Food and Nutrition Security Council, at the provincial level with the Provincial Food and Nutrition Security Council, and culminating with the National Food and Nutrition Security Council,” she stated.
Judite Mussácula pointed out that despite Mozambique’s great productive potential, it is plagued by persistent vulnerabilities.
“The recurring impacts of extreme weather events, such as cyclones, droughts, and floods, directly affect agricultural production, livelihoods, and access to adequate food, especially in rural areas, leaving families even more vulnerable,” she noted.
She concluded by stating that “in this challenging context, the statistics cannot leave us indifferent, as 37 percent of Mozambican children under five suffer from chronic malnutrition. This number, more than a technical figure, is a moral and political alarm, considering that the levels remain very high according to the acceptable parameters of 20 percent established by the World Health Organization (WHO).”
Source: AIM
