By Andrew Gondwe

Chitipa, May 31, Mana: Project Coordinator for Lusubilo Organization, Maureen Maseya, has asked communities in Karonga District to eat six food groups that can be prepared using locally available foods to reduce malnutrition.

Maseya was speaking Thursday during a nutrition open day cooking demonstration at Group Village Head (GVH) Mweneibanda in Senior Chief Mwabulambya in Chitipa District.

She said the organization has intensified cooking demonstrations in the district as one way of imparting knowledge and skills to communities aimed at reducing malnutrition in under-five children, breastfeeding and expectant mothers in the district.

"Let us practice, in our homes, what we have learnt from these cooking demonstrations. If we do this, malnutrition will not be a big issue in the district," urged Maseya.

Cluster Leader for Chankhamwa Care Group, Grace Gama, said most people in the area lacked knowledge on how to come up with six food groups using locally available food stuffs hence the cooking demonstration was an eye opener to them.

"Just to mention a few, we have learnt how to process sweet potato leaves into porridge and juice. We have also learnt that eggs and soya beans can be mixed and processed into nice relish," she said.

GVH Mweneibanda, saluted Lusubilo Organization for promoting good nutrition practices through cooking demonstrations.

Principal Nutrition HIV and Aids Officer for Chitipa District, Martins Mkandawire, asked community members to make use of the knowledge and skills gained during the cooking demonstrations.

Lusubilo Organization is implementing an Agriculture and Nutrition Integration (ANI) Project in Senior Chiefs Kameme, Mwabulambya and Mwenewenya in the district.