The Nyandarua County government is coming up with a five-year County action plan, aimed at tackling the problem of malnutrition among the residents.
According to the Chief Officer for Public Health and Solid Waste Management, Josephine Muiru, the County Nutrition Action Plan (CNAP) 2023-2028, is in the validation stage.
The development of the Plan is being supported by CARE International, Kenya Chapter and the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN) through “Catalyzing Strengthened Policy Action for Healthy Diets and Resilience” (CASCADE) project, that is being implemented in three counties of Nyandarua, Nairobi and Nakuru.
The Project aims at helping the three counties implement effective policies and legislation to improve their nutrition status.
“The CNAP aims at improving food security while contributing to the reduction of malnutrition amongst women of reproductive age and children under five years across the County,” said Muiru.
Nyandarua County, despite being the food basket for neighbouring counties with high production of cabbages, carrots and potatoes, was found to have a high percentage of children suffering from malnutrition and stunted growth.
The County’s stunted growth rate is higher than the national rate. The stunting rate nationally is at 26 percent against Nyandarua’s 30 percent.
According to the Kenya Demographic and Health Survey of 2022 (KDHS), stunting in children is higher among children in rural areas (20%) than among children in urban areas (12%).
Stunted growth in children in Nyandarua County stands at 18 percent, according to the KDHS survey of 2022.
“We have enough food but our children are not growing to the right height, because the foods are not of the right quality.
“The County is the largest producer of potatoes and second in milk production, as well as vegetables, yet our children are not getting quality foods,” said the Country Nutrition Coordinator, Paul Migwi.
Among past efforts by the County to mitigate malnutrition and stunted growth, included introduction of free milk to nursery school children by the immediate past government. The efforts did not make much impact.
The first devolved unit administration was giving people free fruit seedlings, in a bid to improve nutrition intake among the people and stem the problem of stunted growth.
Fish eating had picked very well between 2013 and 2017 as the County government promoted fish farming and consumption through a sustained campaign.
By Antony Mwangi
