Home NewsLiberia Shalom Conducts Consultative Meetings on Nutrition ……Stakeholders stress need for budgetary support

Shalom Conducts Consultative Meetings on Nutrition ……Stakeholders stress need for budgetary support

by John Kumeh

MONROVIA, LIBERIA-SHALOM   has conducted two consultative meetings with relevant Government Ministries, especially those divisions on nutrition.

The SHALOM team conducted the meetings with the Ministry of Agriculture Food Security and Nutrition Division, including the Ministry of Health Division of Nutrition.

Speaking  during  their  respective  meetings  on June 9 and 10  2021 , the Executive Director  of SHALOM,  Kunue Massally,   gave  the overall objective  of the meetings separately at  the two occasions.

Mr. Massally said the gathering was basically intended    to review   a research that was conducted by a consultant contracted by Irish Aid, due to the nutrition status in Liberia.

According  to him, the participants were able to  focus  on  finding conduct from of  the research  that could be used  in   future intervention across  the country, as a means  of  striving   to reduce malnutrition  .

The SHALOM Boss further disclosed that the highlights gathered advocacy points to the attainment of   result of the research, as a means of coming out with the rightful messages on nutrition.

He additionally indicated that participants at both meetings were able to listen   to   authorities of the Ministry of Health Nutrition Division and that of the Ministry of Agriculture Food Security Division,   on   prospect and challenges of the two divisions.

According to him, the Nutritional Research conducted by a consultant highlighted the increased of stunting due to several factors, including inaccessibility   of roads, among others.

He said:” The Government has committed itself, through the Pro-Poor Agenda for Prosperity and Development,    in reducing stunting to 22% by 2023.”

Mr. Massally also said that because it is imperative on the part of the   Liberian Government to formulate policies to be formulated  to have a national legal framework  that will be able  to do  their work,  by looking at the underlining causes of stunting and  the linkages  that included WASH  and other cross cutting areas, among others.

Also speaking,  the Director for Nutrition Division at  the Ministry of Health,  Dr. Anette Brimah Davies, indicated that her division   looks forward  to   partners,  including  Water Aid  for  stronger collaboration  in  the area of   advocacy,  as a means  for nutrition to be a  top priority  .

She said with the fact that nutrition has been captured into the national agenda, that shows that the government has ownership for nutrition activities in Liberia.

Madam Davies wants partners to work collaboratively with the Division of Nutrition to develop   nutritional messages.

She further pointed out that there is a need for agriculture to be attractive, in an effort to produce more food to address stunting across the Country.

For his part,  the Training Director at  the Ministry of Agriculture,  Raphael Collins,  expressed  thanks and  appreciation  to  the Partners  for such a vital  gathering  in finding  ways and means to   address  the   nutritional problems.

He said the Agriculture Ministry   is open for collaboration,   in other to formulate programs with the objective of addressing those constrains that the Ministry is confronted with.

In a separate meeting , the  Director for Food Security  Nutrition at the Agriculture Ministry ,  Sam Yoryor,   however,  pointed out  that  logistical  support  and training as well as road connectivity  are key constraints hampering availability  of   nutritional food on  the markets.

During the meeting, both Agriculture and Health Ministries highlighted the lack of budgetary allocation, logistic, among others, as major challenges they are facing among others.

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