SBNMOZ HELDS HIS 3rd ANNUAL CONFERENCE IN MAPUTO
In order to discuss the challenges for the improvement of nutrition in Mozambique, the SBNMOZ - Business Network for Nutrition Expansion in Mozambique - gathered around 200 participants, highlighting the national business and representatives of the Government, civil society and academia, at its 3rd Annual Conference, which addressed “Food Systems as a Means of Promotion of Nutrition in Mozambique”. This event was organized by GAIN - Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition – and the World Food Program (WFP), in partnership with the CTA - Confederation of Economic Associations of Mozambique – and with the support of SETSAN - Technical Secretariat for Food and Nutrition Security.
This event was held in two sessions:
Gathering of the SUN Movement Platforms in Mozambique, with the participation of about 100 guests, who addressed the “Recommendations for the Private Sector”, within the framework of the initiatives to promote Nutrition.
Graça Machel, Presidente da Fundação para o Desenvolvimento da ComunidadeGraça Machel, President of the Foundation for Community Development, was the keynote speaker at this session, with the theme “How to capitalize the role of the SUN Movement's platforms for nutrition in Mozambique”. For Graça Machel, “it's time to act. We all have to roll up our sleeves and not stay in the offices, to go to the field and make our contribution with concrete actions.” Graça Machel added that “we have the infrastructure to reduce malnutrition, but we are still trapped in 43% of chronic malnutrition. Why? Our job is to implement". Graça Machel set a challenge to the private sector: “Conditions should be created to ensure that every Mozambican child can eat at least one egg per week, so that we will ensure better nutrition for all”.
Higino de Marrule, Ministro da Agricultura e Segurança Alimentar e Lawrence Haddad, Director-Executivo da GAINThe second part of the event aimed at the private sector focused on “The Food Systems as a means of promoting nutrition”. Higino de Marrule, Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, opened the session and took the opportunity to announce the presence of Lawrence Haddad, Executive Director of GAIN, and Maria de Andrade, from CIP – International Potato Center, Laureates of the 2018 and 2016 World Food Prizes.
“We will do everything so that the different actors find a favourable environment to develop their activities, independently and impartially, creating incentives and facilitation in the execution of their actions”, said Higino de Marrule.
This session was divided into three panels where the following topics were discussed::
- Food Systems as a means of promoting nutrition in Mozambiquee, presented by Lawrence Haddad, Executive Director of GAIN and assisted by Eduarda Mungói, Advisor to the Minister of Industry and Trade, and Mualide de Sousa, Director of Quality and Development of New Products at MEREC.
- Investment in nutrition as a business opportunity, presented by Paulo Sousa, CEO of Banco Comercial e de Investimentos de Moçambique, BCI, seconded by Pietro Toigo, Resident Representative of the African Development Bank, António Souto, Managing Director of GAPI and Mário Gomes, National Coordinator of PIGA.
- Nutrition in the workplace as a means of promoting local content, presented by VALE Moçambique, represented by Lara Truzão and with the contributions of Adelino Buque, President of the Agribusiness Sector of CTA and Diva Dessai, Manager of the On-site Nutrition Project work at GAIN.
The members of these panels presented their vision and experience, around the referred topics and, with the massive participation of around 200 guests, sought solutions to increase the contribution of the private sector in nutrition in Mozambique, while strengthening the sector national business.
Agostinho Vuma, Presidente da CTA e Champion da Nutrição para o Sector Privado, tecendo as suas considerações sobre o envolvimento das empresas na busca de soluções para a melhoria da nutrição no paísAgostinho Vuma, President of the CTA and Champion of Nutrition for the Private Sector, presented the closing notes of the event, with a call for the increase of the interventions of the sector in the initiatives of promotion of nutrition in Mozambique.. “he population growth rate of 2% a year (…) creates increasing pressure on food systems. As business and community leaders, we must not be oblivious to this reality, which highlights to the suffering of our population because of chronic malnutrition”, said Vuma.
Briefly, SBNMOZ will hold the provincial round tables, where participants will have the opportunity to discuss the challenges in food systems and the promotion of nutrition in Mozambique..
