Nutrition Month Mission: Fighting Malnutrition

In this year’s Nutrition Month celebration, National Nutrition Council Region-7 (NNC-7) together with the Department of Agriculture-7 (DA-7) tackled about malnutrition and their interventions to address the problem.

“Challenge gihapon ta,” Dr. Parolita Mission Regional Coordinator of NNC-7 said that malnutrition is still a problem in the region. There are 3 out of 10 that are underweight according to Dr. Mission.

Dr. Mission also emphasized one of the key factors of malnutrition is food deprivation which stunted the child’s growth because of the lack of nutrients the child has received.

Dr. Mission also added that malnutrition does not only affect the growth of the child physically but also hinders the child to learn that is why they launched the First 1000 Days Intervention.

“Mao gyud nang nangampanya ta gyud ta sa atong First 1000 Days Intervention, pag-ensure nga iyahang optimum potential of a child can be achieved,” Dr. Mission said.

The First 1000 Days Intervention Program starts from the pregnancy of the mother to the first two years of the child to ensure not only the child’s growth physically but also mentally.

Food Security

Food security is also an integral part of the DA-7’s mission in ending malnutrition which Guian Ibarra, Division Chief of Public Affairs Office of the Department of Agriculture ensures.

“Nindot kaayo atong food security plan tungod kay according to the global food security index, last year we are already the 70th from 79th last year,” Ibarra said.

This means that the food supply has improved last year.

According to Ibarra, there are three food security indicators which are availability, affordability and accessibility but added two more which is quality and safety.

Ibarra added that supply is already good but they need to ensure the quality of the food and make sure that it is safe for consumption.

One of the food security plan of the Department of Agriculture is the Gulayan sa Paaralan.

Gulayan sa Paaralan is a program by the Department of Agriculture (DA) together with the Department of Education (DepEd) to require public schools especially elementary schools to create a food garden. (ASC)