EU for vibrant nutrition sector

The European Union (EU) has challenged nutritionists in the country to help government reduce malnutrition through application of their knowledge at different levels.

EU head of cooperation Ivo Hoefkens made the call at Natural Resources College Campus on Wednesday when the EU awarded 100 scholarships to students pursuing diploma in nutrition.

He said: “You are being trained as an investment for the nation to bring a change once you finish your studies. You are the hope for Malawi in the nutrition sector so do your best and make the country proud.”

It is estimated that 37 percent of children in Malawi are affected by stunting, a condition caused by poor nutrition due to lack of knowledge of nutrition and poverty, according to a 2022 Unicef report.

Through its Afikepo Project, the EU has supported the Malawi Government in training 236 nutritionists at masters and bachelors degree, diploma and certificate levels in different colleges in the country.

Hoefkens said the Afikepo Project was hatched to support the country’s efforts in reducing malnutrition-related problems through capacity building, school feeding and nutrition focused agriculture.

The total funding for the five-year project was 80 million euro (about K80 billion) broken down into K10 billion funding to the Department of Nutrition, HIV and Aids (DNHA), K1 billion for capacity building and the rest for other components such as agriculture and school feeding.

DNHA deputy director Blessings Muwalo said the scholarship awardees were selected from existing civil servants in different government ministries, departments and agencies.

He said according to the set up of the programme, the awardees will serve in the civil service for a minimum of five years.

“We expect that they will help us translate the knowledge that they will acquire from the courses into practice. The ultimate goal is to achieve reduction in malnutrition at national and community levels,” said Mvalo.

An awardee , Chimwemwe Bisani, a primary school teacher from Mulanje, said she expects to improve her knowledge transfer to pupils when she completes her studies. Head of National Authorising Office Nations Msowoya said when the government invests in its citizens it expects them to contribute to the development of the country.