• Lauds Okonjo-Iweala's move against child death
THE United Nations Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO) Wednesday described the cost of malnutrition to the global economy in lost productivity and health care expenses as "unacceptably high."
FAO, in its flagship annual publication, The State of Food and Agriculture (SOFA), launched Wednesday, said malnutrition could account for as much as five per cent of the global gross domestic product, $3.5 trillion (N560 trillion), or $500 (N80,000) per person. "That is almost the entire annual GDP of Germany, Europe's largest economy."
According to the report, in social terms, child and maternal malnutrition continue to reduce the quality of life and life expectancy of millions of people, while obesity-related health problems, such as heart disease and diabetes, affect millions more.
FAO Director-General, José Graziano da Silva, denounced the huge social and economic costs of malnutrition and called for resolute efforts to eradicate malnutrition as well as hunger from around the world.
Silva said although the world has registered some progress on hunger, one form of malnutrition, there is still a long way ahead. "FAO's message is that we must strive for nothing less than the eradication of hunger and malnutrition", he declared.
The report noted that although some 870 million people were still hungry in the world in 2010-2012, this is just a fraction of the billions of people whose health, wellbeing and lives are blighted by malnutrition.
According to SOFA, two billion people suffer from one or more micronutrient deficiencies, while 1.4 billion are overweight, of whom 500 million are obese, and 26 per cent of all children under five are stunted and 31 per cent suffer from Vitamin A deficiency.
To combat malnutrition, SOFA made the case that healthy diets and good nutrition must start with food and agriculture. The report reads: "The way we grow, raise, process, transport and distribute food influence what we eat. Improved food systems can make food more affordable, diverse and nutritious."
Specific recommendations for action include use of appropriate agricultural policies, investment and research to increase productivity, not only of staple grains like maize, rice and wheat, but of legumes, meat, milk, vegetables and fruit, which are all rich in nutrients.
Meanwhile, as part of its key focus in a blueprint for eliminating extreme poverty within a generation, the Save the Children International is to give priority to eradication of extreme poverty and ending preventable child deaths by 2030.
This was contained in a report on the High Level Panel of Eminent Persons, set up by the UN Secretary General. The report said the save the children group would focus on policy makers in getting them committed to attaining a zero goal in poverty and child mortality, the integration of key elements missing from the MDGs, especially inequality, sustainability, accountability and conflict, and focus on eliminating all forms of violence against children.
The Country Director, Save the Children Nigeria, Susan Grant, applauded the noble role the Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, has played over the year on issues concerning the welfare and well-being of children.
Her words: "Save the Children applauds Okonjo-Iweala for her leadership, formulating an ambitious global learning goal as part of the High Level Panel's post-2015 development framework. Tackling extreme poverty in Nigeria and around the world will only be possible if every child is in school and learning. This report is a major step towards realising our shared vision for equitable, quality learning outcomes for all children."
The Guardian