Kaputa District Commissioner Mulenga Fube has expressed concern at the escalating prices of locally grown foodstuff saying this is affecting efforts of implementing nutrition programmes in districts faced with the problem of malnutrition.
Mr Fube said it was not acceptable for people to be increasing prices of vegetables and other locally grown foodstuff as these were making people fail to eat a balanced diet.
The District Commissioner said his office is concerned that traders in Kaputa district are taking advantage of the increase of food commodities in Lusaka and replicating it in Kaputa.
Mr Fube said the trend by traders is already prohibiting locals from improving their nutrition status as they cannot afford to buy a variety of foodstuffs due to the inflated prices and are forced to eat only one type of food in their meals.
The district commissioner said this when Scaling Up Nutrition(SUN) Coordinator Fred Mubanga and a team of partners assessing the implementation of the First 1000 Most Critical Days programme under the National Food and Nutrition Commission paid a courtesy call on him today.
Mr Fube informed the team that his office was aware of the implementation of the programme but called for support to local initiatives to make them sustainable. He said Kaputa district has abundant water and land, and these areas should be given priority when considering support.
Mr Fube said it was important the programme taps into local competences and have communities empowered to grow their own food and cease the handouts syndrome.
Earlier, Mr. Mubanga who is also head of Public Health and Nutrition Unit at SUN said the purpose of the visit is to assess how the programme is been implemented in the district by stakeholders.
Mr Mubanga said partners would like to see that resources pumped in to the programme trickle down to extension services and communities who are the major beneficiaries.
He also appealed to the district commissioner to continue supporting the District Nutrition Coordinating Committee when it comes to coordination and monitoring if greater impact is to be reached.
It’s not only Kaputa area, the whole country is malnourished
Bakose ukulima! When you live in rural you have to be self sustainable!
Very true kukosafye no bulimi I remember the saying my late mother told me to say abalimi tabalala nsala iyo! Meaning he who loves farming will never luck what to eat in short never go to sleep on empty stomach.