Veep, experts discuss ways to end hunger
Vice-President Saulos Chilima says Compact2025, an initiative designed to answer hunger and under-nutrition challenges, offers a unique opportunity for Malawi to map the way forward on initiatives for averting the challenges in the country.
Chilima was speaking yesterday at the opening of Compact2025 Malawi round-table held at Bingu International Conference Centre (Bicc).
The discussion brought together global experts in agriculture, social protection, nutrition and gender to explore past efforts and existing agreements to develop practical action plans to eliminate hunger in Malawi.
“I see Compact2025 as a means of strengthening ongoing food security and nutrition initiatives in this country, providing evidence to better prioritise and implement actions and stimulating innovation for new solutions to end hunger and under nutrition,” said Chilima.
He said government will not stand by and watch its people, especially under-five children, continue being stunted.
The Vice-President said government will work with its partners to curb the persistent challenge of hunger and under-nutrition which is at 42 percent.
Said Chilima: “This percentage is a reflection of chronic under-nutrition, a condition that hinders physical and mental development and lowers the potential of a child throughout their entire lives”.
However, head of partnerships and business development at the international food policy research institute (IFPRI), Teunis Van Rheenene, said the round-table discussion will serve as an opportunity to explore synergies between a variety of actors across the sectors in Malawi necessary to achieving food security and nutrition.
“Our organisation would like to work with Malawi to accelerate progress on Compact2025,” said Teunis.
Agriculture Committee of Parliament chairperson Felix Jumbe has said the discussion offers a commitment of the country’s leadership to priorities the need to fight hunger in the country.
“This also serves as an eye-opener for government to put agriculture as one of the priorities among its priorities,” said Jumbe.
Meanwhile, Chilima has been appointed to serve on the Compact2025 Leadership Council of IFPRI’s as director general.
Malawi joined Compact2025 in 2015.
