press releases

U.S. Government Supports National Food and Nutrition Commission

Lusaka
December 13, 2005

The United States government on Tuesday December 13, handed over Information Technology (IT) equipment and furniture worth K147 million to the National Food and Nutrition Commission (NFNC) to support and improve the institution’s effectiveness and efficiency. The equipment was provided through a grant administered by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).

Good nutrition is an essential building block in national development; USAID is committed to improving the operations of the institution that has been mandated by the Government of the Republic of Zambia (GRZ) to provide oversight in developing, implementation and monitoring of food and nutrition policy.

Items handed over include:


• Laptops 3
• Desktops 3
• Laser jet Printer 2
• Photocopying machine 1
• PABX System and wiring 1
• Telephone hand set receivers 20
• LCD projector 1
• Filing cabinets 7
• Office chairs 24

• Publisher soft ware 2

In addition, through its implementing partner Health Services and Systems Program (HSSP), USAID will pay for the wiring and setting up of the Internet connectivity at the NFNC offices.

USAID has supported the NFNC for many years through projects like Basic Support for Institutionalizing Child Survival (BASICS), Opportunities for Micronutrient Interventions (OMNI), Zambia Integrated Health Program (ZIHP), Micronutrient Opportunities, Strategies and Technologies (MOST), AED/Linkages projects, and now HSSP.


The support includes technical assistance and program support in child health and nutrition, with results including:
• Community based growth monitoring and promotion,
• Micronutrient deficiency control that gave birth to the sugar fortification with vitamin A and fortification of maize meal in Zambia
• Promoting improved infant and young child practices and recently supported the development of the infant and young child feeding policy

The U.S. government will continue this positive collaboration, including creating databases for nutrition monitoring, capacity building and human resource development to facilitate implementation of the recently approved food and nutrition policy, and development of a framework for strengthening nutrition interventions in HIV/AIDS programs.

# # # #