DILI, 09 august 2021 (TATOLI) – Prime Minister, Taur Matan Ruak, today, launches the National Nutrition Award Program, implemented by the National Secretariat of the United Nations SUN Movement, in collaboration with the Members of the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Food Security (KONSSANTIL), under the leadership of the Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries.
“The National Nutrition Award that we launch today aims to promote the best international examples and practices, demonstrating that the most advanced methods can and should be adapted to the Timorese reality,” PM Taur Matan Ruak made the comments during the launching ceremony of the National Nutrition Award Program at City-8’s hall, in Dili, today.
The National Award was supported by the generous financial contribution of US$ 100,000 from the World Food Program (WFP) and technical support from national and international Development Partners, in particular, the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) and the Department of Foreign Affairs of Australia (DFAT).
“A National Award that takes up the good examples of the Presidential Nutrition Award, implemented during my term of office between 2014 and 2017, whose good results and recommendations have always advised its continuation and extension,” said Ruak.
Ruak affirmed that it was a great satisfaction to re-launch a program that aims to be a source of inspiration, encouragement, and stimulus for more informed, active, participative, and organized citizenships and food communities, with emphasis on the role of local authorities, as well as the need to involve the youth and the duty of inclusion of women’s and disabled’ groups.
“We want citizens and communities more aware of their duty and responsibility, to support national efforts to eliminate hunger and bad nutrition habits, promoting their effective participation in the National Food Security Plan, recently approved by the Government and accompanies the initiative of His Excellency the Secretary-General of the United Nations, in the great global effort to improve the World Food System.”
“We have already been able to demonstrate this purpose between 2014 and 2017, and we can do it again by disseminating at a national level again, the examples of the best Groups, Hamlets (Aldeias) or Villages (Sucos), which in practice contribute to National Food Security.”
He said in the past 10 years, the national malnutrition rates had been dropped by 10 percent: “In 2010 malnutrition affected 58% of the population and in 2020 it would still affect 48% of our citizens, especially the most deprived, vulnerable, and disadvantaged.”
At the same place, the WFP Representative, Dageng Liu informed that there are up to 811 million in the world facing hunger in 2020 according to a new report of the State of Food Insecurity and Nutrition in the World (SOFI), in 2021.
Liu said according to the preliminary results of the Timor Leste Food and Nutrition Survey 2020 show that the trend of improvement in terms of nutritional status of children below 5 years, with a reduction in stunting from 50 % to 47%, wasting from 11% to 9%, underweight from 38% to 32%. Despite the improvement, the stunting rate remains among the highest in the World and South East Asia.
Journalist: Filomeno Martins
Editor: Nelia Borges Rosario
