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              Malnutrition Is Still a Major Cause of Child Deaths

   by Kim Lewis

   Malnutrition continues to be a major contributor of death in young
   children and infants. In a recent report in the Lancet medical journal,
   it was cited as the reason for 45-percent of child deaths worldwide.
   International NGO's are calling for world leaders to focus on nutrition
   when addressing economic issues.
   The executive director of ONE, a grass roots campaign and advocacy
   organization, said that this year alone, two-million children will die
   because of a lack of proper nutrition.  Sipho Moyo, who is based in
   Johannesburg, added that malnutrition can lead to stunted growth.  It
   can also harm students' performance in school - and ultimately, their
   ability to get a good job to support their families. ,
   Moyo said because of this, more attention needs to be paid to
   nutrition, especially in the early stages of a child's life.  She also
   emphasized the vital role nutrition plays in a country's economy.
   "It's actually become a health crisis which nobody remembers or looks
   at, and part of the reason is that there just isn't enough money that
   is being invested in nutrition, and the needs of children of that age,"
   said Moyo.
   Her organization, ONE, works specifically to help bring people out of
   poverty through policy change.
   "When it comes to Africa, and the investment that goes into
   agricultural development, if you think about it, 70 percent of Africans
   actually derive their livelihoods from agriculture.  To begin to tackle
   poverty it is that 70 percent that you have to start with.  And what
   this really means, is that African governments must keep their
   commitments to investing in agriculture," said Moyo.
   In 2003, African governments signed the Maputo Agreement, which
   included a commitment to invest 10 percent of their national budgets in
   agriculture. Moyo said some growth has been noted over the years, but,
   more progress is needed.
   "When you begin to invest in agriculture, and this means qualitative
   investment in agriculture, it's not just about the dollars, it's really
   about what are the targeted interventions within that budget that
   benefits smallholders," explained Moyo.
   She emphasized that it is important that African governments, in
   partnership with their donor partners, take the lead in investing
   within their own countries.
   "There is actually a serious need to invest in what I would call an
   African food revolution, and this is what we were asking the G8 for,
   during the Nutrition for Growth summit that took place last Saturday
   (June 8), in London. We need funding pledges to resource nutrition
   plans.  We're also asking for finance and prioritization," said Moyo.
   There are already some African-led initiatives underway such as the
   African Union's Comprehensive Africa and Agriculture Development
   Program.  Moyo said the program needs additional investment to reduce
   malnutrition and poverty on the continent.
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   [1]http://www.voanews.com/content/malnutrition-children-nutrition-lance
   t-report-one-g8/1683862.html

References

   1. http://www.voanews.com/content/malnutrition-children-nutrition-lancet-report-one-g8/1683862.html