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December 15, 2016
Health Challenge: Bolivian children’s first thousand days
A person’s first thousand days determine their development, growth and health for the rest of their lives. In Bolivia, chronic malnutrition in children under five years of age is one of the top health challenges facing the country, affecting around 27% of children in this age bracket. The situation is worse in rural areas, such as in Potosí, where the figure stands at 43.7%, or in the Altiplano region where it reaches 73.5%. Studies show the significance of the mother’s level of education, with a lower level increasing the risk of anemia in children.
In response to this challenge, the SDG Fund is implementing a Joint Programme focused on food security in municipalities within the Bolivian departments of Cochabamba and Potosí. The programme provides the inhabitants of these vulnerable areas with education on healthy eating habits and aims to strengthen local sustainable agro-food systems.
This endeavor is possible due to the collaboration of different local and external actors: the project is being undertaken in partnership with various UN Agencies (FAO, UNICEF and UNIDO) and the Bolivian government. The involvement of local actors is crucial for achieving the set outcomes. In Bolivia, the Ministry of Health’s Food and Nutrition Unit works on the implementation of the Multi-sectoral Zero Malnutrition Program (PMDC, in Spanish). Also contributing to the project are the Ministry for Education and the Ministry’s Alimentación Complementaria Escolar team, responsible for the development of the Food Nutrition Education program in schools.
Supporting rural women in the fight against childhood malnutrition is a cause which has induced numerous organizations and other entities to become involved in the project. A recognition of the rights of rural women, who play an essential part in agricultural production and diet, has also prompted several syndicates to take part. One of the initiatives carried out as part of this programme involves educating women in sustainable farming and production practices with the aim of improving their nutrition and that of their children.
Every project undertaken is thoroughly evaluated to ensure it is viable and cost-effective in every location where it is implemented. The monitoring of results and difficulties encountered is crucial to ensure targeted results and actions in every project. Continual evaluation means it is possible to develop an effective strategy in each municipality and map out the next steps.
Following on from the results of this Sustainable Agro-food Systems Joint Program, the individual municipalities are beginning to take ownership of the initiatives and are involved in the decision-making process. This helps ensure a targeted programme that successfully contributes to improving childhood nutrition as well as the development of local organic production, leading to more environmentally-friendly processes.
This Joint Programme, involving UN Agencies and the Bolivian government, contributes to sustainable rural development and the improvement of childhood nutrition. The project contributes to SDGs 1 (No Poverty), 2 (Zero Hunger) and 3 (Good Health and Well-being), three of the sustainable development goals the world has committed to achieving by 2030.
Translated into English by Nuria Diez del Corral
