County launches policy frameworks to end malnutrition

Busia Governor Paul Otuoma. County is prioritising nutritious crops, such as nyota beans and African leafy vegetables to improve diets. [File, Standard]

Busia County has launched two policy frameworks, 'the Busia County Nutrition Action Plan (CNAP) 2023/2024-2027/2028 and the County Agri-Nutrition Implementation Strategy 2023-2027' to tackle persistent nutrition challenges and strengthen food systems.

County Agriculture chief Simplicius Mukok emphasised prioritising nutritious crops, such as nyota beans and African leafy vegetables to improve diets, especially in rural areas.

"In agriculture, we produce tonnes of crops, but the key question remains: are they nutritious?" Mukok posed. We're now prioritising value chains with high nutritional value like nyota beans, African leafy vegetables, soya beans, and other traditional crops."

Mukok noted that the county is making deliberate investments in nutritious crop production to improve household diets, especially in rural areas where malnutrition remains a concern.

Mukok noted that the county is making deliberate investments in nutritious crop production to improve household diets, especially in rural areas where malnutrition remains a concern.

Busia County Chief Officer for Health Services and Sanitation, Susan Outa, described nutrition as a cross-cutting development agenda, saying CNAP II builds on gains made under the previous plan.

These gains include reducing stunting among children from 22.2 per cent in 2014 to 15 per cent, increasing vitamin A supplementation, and growing allocations for nutrition interventions.

"However, we are still facing challenges such as underfunding, poor data use, and vulnerability to emergencies like drought and pandemics," she said.

Outa said the second-generation CNAP integrates nutrition into maternal and child health, education, WASH (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene), agri-nutrition, and emergency preparedness.

She explained that CANIS complements CNAP by promoting climate-resilient agriculture, the use of indigenous food systems, and the expansion of household kitchen gardens to ensure year-round access to nutritious food.

"Nutrition is everyone's responsibility," she said, calling on all county departments to align their strategies with the newly launched policies. The County Assembly must now legislate and fund these frameworks for them to succeed.

Busia County Director of Nutrition Scholastica Navade said the launch is a major step toward a malnutrition-free future.

Navade emphasized that the frameworks will empower community health promoters to guide families on healthy food choices and ensure children grow in a dignified, equitable environment.

"Without food, working systems, reliable data, and strong coordination, the fight against malnutrition is lost. These documents promise a future where no child goes to bed hungry and where mothers are empowered to feed their children well," she said.

Busia County Director of Nutrition urged all stakeholders to support the implementation process, stressing that nutrition is a matter of human rights and equity.

"We must now move from strategy to action. Let us mainstream nutrition into our budgets and the work plans of our," Navade said.