The United Nations World Food Programme (UNWFP) will give technical assistance to the government in its efforts to create a malnutrition-free Kerala.
The Planning Board will hold discussions on the implementation of the recommendations of the UNWFP, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, who is the chairman of the State Planning Board, has said. Mr. Vijayan said this after holding discussions with the WFP (India) Country Director Hameed Nuru and other UN representatives here on Tuesday.
Kerala will be implementing UNWFP’s Sustainable Development Goal 2 programme, tackling hunger and malnutrition. However, as far as Kerala is concerned, the issue was not hunger, but malnutrition, especially among children and adolescents. The State could work with the UN to address this issue, Mr. Vijayan, said.
Dr. Hameed Nuru said the UN was supporting Kerala in tackling malnutrition because of the State’s high profile in areas of education, health and sanitation.
Malnutrition continues to be a challenge in Kerala where one-fifth of the children below five years are undernourished. About 16.1% children in the State are underweight, while 19% are stunted. The UN would help the State implement the nutrition plan by coordinating with departments and agencies.
