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A group of organizations from the Coalition for Food and Nutrition Security in India is organizing a 2-day ‘South Asia Conference on Policies and Practices to Improve Nutrition Security 2014’ through region-wide collaborations, which started in New Delhi on 30 July. The conference’s partners also include the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Ministry of Women and Child Development, Save the Children and Welthungerhilfe. Technical support is being provided by UNICEF, IFPRI, WFP, IFAD, FAO, Water Aid, Freedom from Hunger, GAIN, World Vision, Sphere India and Chetna Outreach.
Across South Asia, and in other parts of the developing world, malnutrition undermines economic growth and its human costs are substantial. South Asia has the largest number of malnourished children in the world and their numbers are growing at an alarming pace, as populations expand. Unless policies and priorities are changed, malnutrition will remain widespread. The conference aims to better understand critical drivers, strategies and solutions to impact nutrition from various experiences from South Asia countries.
The South Asia Conference on Policies and Practices to Improve Nutrition Security 2014 brings together academic scientists, researchers, representatives from government, national and international non-governmental agencies, civil societies, policy and program implementers, private sector and others, to exchange and share their experiences and research results about all aspects of nutrition policies, practices and programs primarily from South Asia countries that have been successful in lowering malnutrition rates. It also provides the forum to present and discuss the most recent innovations, good practices, trends, challenges and the solutions adopted to improve nutrition security.
Over 400 participants from South Asian countries mainly from India, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and a few delegates from the US, Canada, Africa and Europe are attending the conference.
Among the expected Outcomes is that a Framework for convergent action to improve nutrition security based on country experiences and knowledge will be drawn up. This will help to better address current and future challenges of nutrition security -- such as working more effectively across agriculture, health, education, employment, social protection, water and sanitation and other key sectors to ensure nutrition-security. The conference is also expected to identify critical drivers of nutrition security that may be beneficial to the key players and stakeholders working towards better nutrition outcomes. Finally, it is hoped that the conference will strengthen collective and collective actions towards nutrition security so that the menace of malnutrition is tackled holistically across South Asia by utilising the best policies and practices in the region.
