The United States government through its Scaling Up Nutrition Technical Assistance (SUN-TA) project has established demonstration sites to provide chicken rearing management skills to communities so as to promote improved production and consumption of poultry products in Kapiri Mposhi District.
The demonstration sites to be constructed in all the nine livestock camps in the district are also aimed at promoting poultry as a business among households and small holder livestock farmers in the area.
Stating that the move is to help reduce stunting levels in the area, SUN-TA District Programs Manager, Leah Phiri poultry products such as eggs are a source of high biological value proteins essential for child growth and expectant mothers.
Due to low access to basic nutrition foods for children, expectant and lactating mothers, 30.5 percent and 14 percent of children below the age of two years are stunted and underweight, respectively in Kapiri Mposhi.
Ms Phiri said for this reason there is need to encourage production and consumption of these products at community and household level to reduce stunting in the area.
Speaking during the handover of poultry construction materials and accessories valued at over K 765, 000 to lead livestock farmers from all the nine agriculture camps in the district, Ms Phiri stated that the activity to be implemented by the Department of Livestock and Fisheries is aimed at supporting interventions to reduce stunting by 2.5 percent annually through the 1000 Most Critical Days II ( MCDP II) program.
” This intervention among others is aimed at reducing malnutrition in children under two years especially from conception up to the time the child is two years our desire is that these lead farmers will teach households in their respective camps to rear chickens for the success of this intervention,” Ms Phiri said.
Ms. Phiri indicated that farmers in the area will be further provided with startup in form of day old chicks, stock feed and vaccines.
Meanwhile, District Administrative Officer (DAO) Kaunda Mulenga has commended SUN-TA for supporting various nutritional interventions through the MCDP II program to reduce stunting in the area.
Mr. Mulenga has since implored the beneficiary lead farmers to use the poultry construction materials and startup products for the intended purpose.
” You should take this activity very serious because it is directly addressing government’s concern on the high prevalence of stunting in the district as district administration we will be monitoring you to ensure that you are doing the right thing,” Mr Kaunda said.
And District Livestock and Fisheries Coordinator, Ngosa Chipinda says apart from promoting nutrition the poultry demonstration sites will also enhance household income for nutritional diversification.
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