By Memory Kutengule Chatonda

Blantyre, June 5, Mana: A delegation from Blantyre, Phalombe, and Nsanje on Tuesday took a transformative learning visit to the Dedza District Council with the primary goal of gaining insights on the implementation of food and nutrition programme by Self Help Africa (SHA) in four traditional authorities including Kamenyagwaza, Kasumbu, and Tambala in the district.

SHA, Programmes Manager for Food and Nutrition Security, Felistar Chulu said among others, the organization was implementing various interventions in nutrition, Water Sanitation, Hygiene (WASH) and other activities to build resilience to famine among vulnerable people.

“Through this, we are supporting dietary diversification promotion, integrated homestead farming, cooking demonstrations, and also promotion of the consumption of bio fortified crops. In addition to supporting agriculture activities, particularly livestock production,

“So far, we are happy with the work that we have been doing here in Dedza for eight years on food and nutrition. Before the SHA intervention, malnutrition levels were high but now the cases have gone down because of our intervention,” she said.

She described the visit by the three districts as crucial in appreciating the impact of SHA intervention in Dedza District and also identifying performance gaps that needed improvements.

Farmers Union of Malawi's Head of Member Services, Modesta Mlia Tembo hailed SHA intervention observing that FUM, being the umbrella body of farmers in Malawi ensures that farmers are well nourished under a multisectoral nutritional program being done in Blantyre with support from KFW through UNICEF

“Under this, we have WASH, early childhood development, infant and child feeding practices as well as maternal and nutrition health. So SHA is also implementing a similar nutrition intervention like and we are here to learn how they are implementing nutrition resilience,” she said.

Tembo said FUM also learnt ways of sustaining the intervention and how to involve community structures in the programmes, adding that the visiting delegation was impressed with various interventions in Dedza.

The food and nutrition programme is implemented by district councils and is facilitated by FUM in Blantyre, the Hunger Project in Phalombe, and SHA in Dedza.

Principal Nutrition and HIV and AIDS Officer (PNHAO) for Blantyre, Ruth Hara described the learning visit as beneficial to the council in the implementation of the nutrition programs at the district level.

"I have learned a lot from the knowledge exchange visit to Dedza, more especially on the anti GBV tool kit, district nutrition strategic plan, involvement of religious structures on issues of nutrition as well as ways of strengthening the linkage between Village Nutrition Coordinating Committee and the promoters,” she said.

Meanwhile, Deputy Director of Nutrition in the Ministry of Health, Blessings Muwalo commended FUM, SHA, and Hunger Project for complementing government efforts in the implementation of tangible interventions to support nutrition programmes.

He urged District Nutrition Coordinating Committees from the three districts to utilize the knowledge gained to transform their areas.