ADDIS ABABA – Ministry of Agriculture said it has distributed improved seeds to farmers to strengthen effort of tackling stunting of children under the age of two.
The Ministry oversees a multi-sectoral road-map, Seqota Declaration that runs between 2016 and 2030. The road-map aims at eradicating stunting of children in less than two years by supporting the National Nutrition Program.
Ministry’s National Food and Nutrition Coordination Unit Head Alemetsehay Sergawi explained as seeds such as cowpea, soyabean, orange potato and others have been distributed so far. The declaration is to coordinate efforts that benefit around 7.8 million children nation-wide.
Dr. Sisay Sinamo, Senior Program Manager Federal Program Delivery Units at the Ministry of Health for his part stated that the first phase has been under implementation since 2016.
Lessons learned from this phase will be applied to reach more vulnerable communities during the second phase which will be implemented from 2021 – 2025.The years from 2026 to 2030 are meant for a national scale up, being the third phase, he added.
Around 40 districts in Amhara and Tigray States have been included in the first phase. And various innovative tasks have thus far been carried out, according to him. “We need to accelerate works to eradicate stunting by the end of the plan period.” A consortium of various ministries is executing the roadmap.
The Ethiopian Herald, August 9/2019
BY MISGANAW ASNAKE
