Chongwe District commissioner, Evans Lupiya has called on residents in the area to adopt good nutrition practices by including local indigenous foods in their diet in order to live healthier lives.
Dr Lupiya said local indigenous foods contain high nutritional values which have the ability to improve nutrition levels in the area.
He stated that people should not neglect traditional ways of cooking food such as combining different types of food as such cooking methods make food more nutritious thereby curbing malnutrition at household level.
Dr Lupiya was speaking when he officiated at the World Food Day under the theme ‘Leave no one behind’ in Kanakantapa ward.
He said government and various stakeholders have been encouraging people to take up farming methods which respond to the prevailing climate change.
“It is a well known fact that dependence on rain fed agriculture and climate has greatly contributed lack of food availability for most families. This is why we have been working hard as a district to navigate effective interventions to address these challenges,” Dr Lupiya said
Dr Lupiya also encouraged residents in Chongwe to have a home state kitchen garden at their households which they can maintain using grey water to have access to various types of vegetables.
He urged everyone in the area to plant fruit trees at their residences and preserve seasonal foods which they can eat out of season.
Speaking during the same event, a representative from HIVOS in Zambia, Tambudzai Matenga says this year’s theme resonates with the voices for just climate project currently being implemented in the district aimed at giving residents an opportunity to tailor local solutions to counter effects of climate change such as food insecurity.
“Most farmers in Chongwe are affected by climate change and under the voices for just climate project, we want to learn how farmers are copying with climate change and what food people are growing under the current climatic conditions,” Ms Matenga said.
She called on everyone to take up locally tailored solutions to promote nutrition and food security despite the adverse effects of climate change which have negatively affected the farming area.
Meanwhile, National Food and Nutrition Commission (NFNC) District coordinator Prudence Bwalya said the commission said the commission has been making strides in the fight against malnutrition by promoting the uptake of diverse foods among residents in Chongwe.
Ms. Bwalya said the commission has taken a multi sectorial approach to reach more households to encourage people to adopt good nutritional practices.
“The fight against malnutrition is everyone’s fight and this is why we are working with various stakeholders in the district to ensure that we successfully promote the uptake of nutritious local foods among residents,” Ms. Bwalya said.
She implored all stakeholders at community level to continue working with the commission by adhering to the nutritional practices that the organisation and various stakeholders have been promoting to enhance nutrition levels in the area.
Very true doctor. People think because fast Food comes from America it must be tops. Because everything American is better than us. African indigenous foods are healthier and more nutritious.