…WFP donates ICT equipment to fight malnutrition
Sekete Lesaoana
Maseru, Lesotho – Lesotho is facing critical malnutrition rates predominantly fuelled by poverty and a dearth of diverse and nutritious diets, Aurore Rusiga, the World Food Programme (WFP) country director and representative, has said.
Malnutrition attributed to government inefficiencies
Rusiga emphasised that low agricultural productivity and the limited capacity of local government units contributed significantly to the malnutrition crisis. Speaking during the handover of information technology equipment worth US$30 000 to different stakeholders, Rusiga said the tools were crucial in enhancing the nutrition surveillance system and reporting mechanisms. The equipment included 10 desktop computers, five laptops, and 100 tablets for data collection.
She said that the equipment served as a national repository for nutrition-related matters, fostering capacity building for Lesotho’s envisioned Nutrition Information System.
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High stunting rates one of the effects of malnutrition
“Stunting remains high at 34.5 percent among children under five, with overweight, obesity, and micronutrient deficiencies posing challenges across all age and socio-economic groups,” Rusiga said.
“National governments play a pivotal role in ensuring food security. The handover aims to empower the Government of Lesotho to effectively implement nutrition actions at scale, aligning with the National Strategic Development Plan II (NSDP II) and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), recognising nutrition as both a maker and a marker of development.”
The WFP reported progress in malnutrition indicators from 2009 to 2014, noting a decrease in stunting from 39% to 33.2%. However, the WFP said challenges persisted, especially in rural areas where 70 to 80 percent of the population resides, with over three-quarters engaged in agriculture.
WFP committed to fighting malnutrition
Rusiga said the WFP was committed to incorporating nutrition components into relevant programmes, strengthening national programmes and systems for a more efficient response. She emphasised the importance of transparent, accountable, and resilient national systems in achieving sustainable outcomes, aligning with Lesotho’s strategic documents like the Zero Hunger Strategic Review and the National Agriculture Investment Plan.
Furthermore, WFP pledged global advocacy, supporting programmes to overcome constraints on the availability, access, demand, and consumption of safe, healthy diets needed to eradicate malnutrition by 2030.
Rusiga highlighted the economic impact by referencing the Cost of Hunger study, indicating potential savings of 2.86 billion Maloti by 2025 through a multisectoral approach and a Nutrition and Home Economics Strategy.
In her concluding remarks, she stressed the collaborative efforts needed for a malnutrition-free world, involving government-led initiatives, United Nations agencies, civil society, international organisations, foundations, academia, and the private sector. Rusiga affirmed the WFP’s mission to end global hunger by addressing underlying factors and building self-reliance.
