Zambia Scaling Up Nutrition (SUN) 2021 National Conference Report

The conference aimed to sustain stunting reduction through creating an enabling environment for nutrition programs. The event brought together stakeholders from various sectors, including government ministries, development partners, and civil society organizations. The conference featured a series of presentations, panel discussions, and breakout sessions. Day 1 proceedings began with an official opening speech by Mr. Musonda Mofu, Acting Executive Director of the National Food and Nutrition Commission (NFNC). Joseph Hirsch, USAID Zambia, addressed the conference, highlighting the importance of nutrition in achieving the country's development goals. Julia Kirya, GIZ Programme Coordinator, delivered a speech on behalf of GIZ's Country Coordinator, emphasizing the need for a multi-stakeholder approach to address nutrition challenges. The conference also featured presentations on performance assessment and Community Food and Nutrition Security (CFRS) findings. A plenary question and answer session was held, followed by a panel discussion on sustaining stunting reduction through creating an enabling environment for nutrition programs. The panel discussion was attended by representatives from various government ministries, including the Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Health, Ministry of General Education, Ministry of Community Development & Social Services, Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock, and Ministry of Water Development, Sanitation and Environmental Protection. Day 2 proceedings included breakout sessions on various sectors, including agriculture, health, education, community development and social services, and water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH). The agriculture breakout session was attended by over 100 participants, who deliberated on the proceedings and identified key areas for improvement. The health breakout session also attracted a large number of participants, who discussed the importance of nutrition in achieving the country's health goals. The conference also featured presentations on innovations, lessons learned, best practices, and studies conducted under the Malawi Child Development Program (MCDP) II. Saskia de Pee and Zuzanna Turowska delivered a presentation on filling the nutrition gap, while Mubanga Chilufya presented on the use of mobile phones to implement social behavior change communication (SBCC) interventions. Interactive dashboards and the NFNC website were also presented by Mr. Boniface Kanjere. The conference concluded with closing remarks by Mr. Freddie Mubanga, Head of Research and Planning, NFNC. The conference evaluation revealed that the majority of participants found the conference to be informative and engaging. The lessons learned and good practices identified during the conference will inform the development of nutrition programs in Zambia. The conference was attended by over 200 participants, including government officials, development partners, civil society organizations, and academia. The conference provided a platform for stakeholders to share knowledge, experiences, and best practices in addressing nutrition challenges in Zambia. The conference outcomes will contribute to the development of effective nutrition programs that address the country's nutrition challenges and achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).