Office of the Prime Minister Uganda Nutrition Action Plan (UNAP)

Nutrition Coordination Secretariat

COORDINATING THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE UNAP:

PROGRESSPresented to the 6th Africa Day for Food and Nutrition Security

29th October 2015Speke Resort, Munyonyo, Uganda

OVERVIEWOF NUTRITION

IN UGANDA:THE PROBLEM

Despite continued efforts, unacceptably high malnutrition rates in Uganda • 33% of CU5 are stunted• 5% of CU5 are wasted• 14% of CU5 are underweight

Nutrition has a crucial impact on health, education and development. Yet, negative consequences of malnutrition are not fully recognized in terms of :

• Deaths• Disabilities • Poor school performance• Loss of economic productivity

Distribution of Stunting, Wasting and Underweight in under-fives (UDHS 2011)

%

Stunting 33.4%; Underweight 16%; & Wasting 5%

Stunting: Children under age 5 (percent)

Note: Vulnerability varies from region to region

Though the proportion of stunting has declined markedly since 2000, one out of three Children under 5 is stunted

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Source: UDHS 1995, 2000, 2006, 2011; UNICEF UK official website

A stunted child:• Has suffered over a long period from

insufficient nutrient intake and frequent infections

• Is shorter, with little chance to catch up • Has a weaker immune system, and is

more vulnerable to disease• May have cognitive development

hampered - irreversibly

Since 1995, insufficient progress has been made in reducing acute malnutrition (wasting)

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Source: UDHS 1995, 2000, 2006, 2011

A wasted child:• is excessively thin• has experienced significant food

shortages and/or diseases or infections in the short term

• has a higher risk of death if under 5 years of age

The prevalence of underweight has declined steadily since 2005, and met the MDG target in 2011

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An underweight child may be stunted, wasted, or both

Source: UDHS 1995, 2000, 2006, 2011

MDG target 12.5%

Food Security:

Even where food is produced abundantly, quantities available to families can be insufficient.Pockets of “food insecure” households thus exist in “food secure” regions.

Nutrition: A human rights issue AND a development issue

Uganda Nutrition Action Plan (UNAP) launched in November 20111 by H.E. President Museveni.

UNAP serves as Uganda’s strategy for scaling up nutrition.

Office of the Prime Minister coordinates UNAP implementation, bringing together multiple sectors and partners.

UNAP: Key Facts

• UNAP targets the “First 1000 days” of life, a window of opportunity to address stunting and break the inter-generational cycle of undernutrition

• In addition to Government Sectors/Line Ministries; UNAP brings together Development Partners, Civil Society Organisations, the Private Sector and Academia

Goal: UNAP aims to reduce malnutrition levels among women of reproductive age, infants and young children

Focus: Through expanded national efforts & increased public resources, UNAP promotes the scale-up proven interventions to improve infant & maternal nutrition outcomes

Nutrition in Uganda’s National Policy Framework

Nutrition is high priority of government

Uganda’s Second National Development Plan (NDP-II) aims for reduction of Stunting from current 33 % to 22 % by 2020

National Nutrition Policy is currently being put into place – will serve as overarching policy framework to guide nutrition programming towards the achievement of the NDP-II and National Vision targets

UNAP: SUN Framework in Uganda

Offers a strategic framework for multi-sectoral platforms and networks, under the stewardship of government

SUN Platforms bring together 8 Sectors, UN agencies, Development Partners, Civil Society, Private Sector, and Academia

SUN coordination principles promoted within Sectors and at Local Government level

UNAP: Leveraging Resources – Building Partnerships

All partners must be rallied towards: a common Results Framework, Action Plans with clear milestones; Indicators to measure progress

In order to make visible strides in stemming malnutrition, nutrition actions must be highly coordinated

Partnerships must be formed and managed properly

Coordination body must have convening power

UNAP Coordination: Generating and sustaining momentum and commitmentImplementation of government programmes in

Uganda occurs at district level

Coordination structures have been established; now require strengthened capacity to plan effectively, to coordinate multi-sectoral budgets, and to manage partnerships

Purpose: to sustain momentum for scaling up nutrition, and commitment to achieving goals, both at the national and sub-national levels

UNAP: Key achievements for coordination and governance

Coordination structures in place; SUN country platforms active

Key sector plans costedLGs (Districts) and Sectors orientedNutrition planning and budgeting

guidelines developedNutrition Advocacy and Communication

Strategy developed and launchedNutrition M&E Framework establishedNutrition Stakeholders and Action

mapped – in some districts

UNAP: Key achievements for coordination and governance

Nutrition informs Uganda’s NDPII agenda, in line with Uganda Vision 2040

Bi-monthly SUN teleconferences, UNAP Coordination meetings, SUN Annual self-assessment held

Development Partners forum activeConcept note to develop School Feeding policy

finalizedDevelopment of Sector Specific guidelines and

tools for nutrition e.g. Agric. Ext. Workers, CDOsStudies, Research, Food and Nutrition

Assessments conducted

UNAP: Key achievements for UNAP implementationMoGLSD is reviewing community

development tools, Functional Adult Literacy materials, to integrate Nutrition.

District marathons held, Parliamentary Forum is being established

Nutrition Service provision improved: Ante-natal care; Sanitation and hygiene; Breastfeeding promotion; Malaria and other disease control; support to complementary feeding and others

Formative research on introduction of complementary food, and micronutrient products

UNAP: Key achievements for UNAP Implementation

Project on whole value chains of major food security crops in the country/ region - maize, cassava, beans, rice and coffee implemented

Grain storage facilities developed in several parts of the country

Bio-fortificationAppropriate storage facilities/technologies

tested at household levelStaff in 38 districts trained in operationalization

of Mobile Plant Clinics.Routine surveillance and follow-up strike action

carried out on pests and disease epidemics Irrigation schemes rehabilitated

UNAP: Key achievements for UNAP Implementation

National food and nutrition information system being set up (includes early warning systems -community, district up to national level)

Multi-Sectoral Food and Nutrition Security Improvement Project initiated, aimed at maximizing nutrition outcomes for vulnerable groups and schools

Strong Civil Society network established; promoting nutrition

First National Nutrition Forum held in 2013

UNAP: Key achievements for UNAP Implementation

Community-level sensitization and capacity- building in nutrition held

Studies conducted by academic partners, contributing to body of knowledge on nutrition

Nutrition Initiative to develop and scale-up the delivery of nutrition messages through agriculture and health mobile phone platforms is being established

Others…

Going forward…. Our Vision for the Future

…..Stressing that “Food Security” does not necessarily translate into “Nutrition Security”

….. Influencing pro-nutrition Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices at household level

….Strengthening nutrition planning and programming at all levels

…..Building capacity for effective nutrition programming at all levels

Going Forward…. Cont’d

…..Strengthening community-based approaches, to bring about positive changes on the nutrition landscape

…..Emphasizing experience-sharing and learning from other SUN countries

……Strengthening social mobilization and advocacy, targeting youth – especially young girls –future mothers, and parents – potential change agents!

SUN…….Going forward …. Cont’d… Strengthening government leadership, transparency and strategic partnerships in line with SUN principles

… Expanding reporting and collection of evidence to track progress, identifying lessons learnt and disseminating findings

….Initiating and strengthening dialogue on financing/resourcing of nutrition

…Going forward

Supporting nutrition governance especially at Local Government level - through improved Coordination, Implementation of District Nutrition Action Plans, M&E, & Reporting

Targeting the First 1000 Days and Youth; Addressing Gender issues; Empowering households to adopt pro-nutrition practices

Promoting Food Security, Access to Food, and Optimal Nutrition at household level

…and finally….

Increasing Productivity & Resilience in communities; Creating opportunities for income generation

Ensuring an enabling Policy Framework

Strengthening Partnerships and Networks

Thank you !