Indonesia: WFP and Government Lead Drive for Improved Nutrition

[WORLD FOOD PROGRAM] 25 April 2013- The United Nations World Food Program (WFP) and the government of Indonesia recently held a two-day conference in Kupang aimed to spearhead the drive for improved nutrition across the country. The conference brought together national, provincial and district officials, the private sector, local communities, NGOs and UN agencies specializing in nutrition. The discussions focused on the critical window of opportunity in the first 1,000 days of a child’s life – between the start of pregnancy and a child’s second birthday – when proper nutrition is essential for optimal physical and intellectual development.

“Improved nutrition in NTT (Nusa Tenggara Timur) – and especially in TTS district – must go beyond nutrition education, the promotion of exclusive breastfeeding, nutrition supplements and feeding programs,” said Professor Hamam Hadi, Chairman of the Alma Ata Centre for Healthy Life and Food (ACHEAF). “We must also balance these initiatives with broader poverty reduction programmes, better provision of clean water and improved living conditions generally.”

Two key recent studies helped lead the discussions. The first study, Minimum Cost of a Nutritious Diet study analyses the minimum cost of a diet that meets nutritional guidelines, while the second study, Behaviour Change Communication in TTS District identifies the main obstacles to appropriate feeding practices amongst pregnant and nursing mothers, and the nutrition challenges faced by under-twos and school children.

WFP Indonesia Country Director, Coco Ushiyama said, “access to a nutritious and age-appropriate diet for under-twos and their mother is of vital importance – especially in parts of the country where under-nutrition is recognized as a problem.” Adding, “this will only be a reality when a wide range of public and private sector partners come together with a shared vision.”

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