Good nutrition will save our children from stunting

Adequate nutrition for children begins in the womb during the first 1000 days before birth through a child's second birthday.

That means mothers play a pivotal role in ensuring the proper growth of their children even before they are born which makes decreasing the stunting rate in Tanzania more difficult to manage.

The reason nearly half of Tanzanian children are stunted may surprise you. It’s not that Tanzanians do not have enough food, it’s due to a lack of knowledge.

Most of the producers along the corridor (the area in Tanzania where most agriculture occurs) are women smallholders. These are the people who are doing most of the production.

In the developed world most people have no idea what stunting it is part of life for many.

It is a cultural challenge. Surprisingly, adequate nutrition for children begins in the womb during the first 1000 days before birth through a child's second birthday. That means mothers play a pivotal role in ensuring the proper growth of their children even before they are born which makes decreasing the stunting rate in Tanzania more difficult to manage.

Most of the producers along the corridor (the area in Tanzania where most agriculture occurs) are women smallholders. These are the people who are doing most of the production. To me, they are not getting time to feed themselves even when they are pregnant. They are also not getting time to adequately feed their children.

The government has put together a national and district framework to curb malnutrition in its children and mothers. It is equally  important that we have many nutrition officers deployed throughout the country educating Tanzanians about eating a balanced diet—as opposed to only eating stiff porridge, that is eaten traditionally by millions in eastern Africa. These nutrition officers should also work alongside health extension workers to educate the populace about proper nutrition.

We believe that malnutrition it is caused by   lack of knowledge. It is a cultural challenge. One may go to communities where food is available, but it is not given to the children. These foods are there, but you will find women are making maize porridge and giving it to children.

If we really want to rescue the 35 per cent stunted children in the country, it should empower small-medium scale millers who fortify maize flour in the country.

According to a report by the National Food fortification Alliance (NFFA) 35 per cent of Tanzanian’s population was not reaching its maximum potential in terms of their brain capability, optimizing its brain ability, and impact on development.

It is therefore extremely important for the government to look at nutrition and possible solutions to address children’s malnutrition, women, pregnant women and nutrition so that they can safeguard the wellbeing of children.

It is equally important that we empower small-medium scale millers.  They need to have the right equipment to enable them fortify maize flour which is commonly consumed by a bigger population of Tanzanians, especially the poor.