Hunger affects an estimated one billion people around the world, mostly in Africa, India, and Southeast Asia. Hunger takes its toll on the individual and society from increasing the prevalence of chronic diseases and higher mortality to impaired mental and physical development to higher healthcare costs to lower economic output.

If we want to achieve the Millennium Development Goals, we must urgently and effectively address undernutrition.World Vision FPMG and WFP have worked alongside one another for 10 years to tackle hunger related malnutrition, developing an understanding of the problem, and both having been very active in building awareness of the problem and available solutions.

This past January, WFP released their Nutrition Improvement Approach (NIA) which has shifted its strategic focus from food security (providing enough calories) to including nutrition security (providing nutrient-rich food). The new strategy places more focus on specific target groups. These include children younger than two years, pregnant and lactating women, moderately malnourished populations, people suffering from micronutrient deficiencies and people with chronic illnesses

FPMG looks forward to working with WFP together to address the nutrition needs on longer- term food recovery program planning, with an emphasis on nutrient-rich food, especially reaching children. Nutritious foods with essential vitamins and minerals mean better future for millions of people. This shift is moving from their 2007 nutrition strategy where 20-25% of the food basket was focused on food fortification to the 2010-2012 Projected WFP Nutrition strategy/approach that increases this food basket to include 80-100% of micronutrient and other nutritional needs met. This is an exciting report that once again confirms the importance of nutrition when talking about food aid.
FPMG will continue to work closely together with WFP and partners to build further awareness among world leaders and the broader public about the problem of malnutrition and the need to deliver global nutrition security. We realize the changes being made to the food basket and the chosen target groups. These measures are to be used in combination with interventions that focus on food security, water and sanitation, promotion of appropriate (breast) feeding practices and preventive health services. ‘Strategic partnerships are essential to solving global hunger, which affects more than one billion people around the world today. No one sector – public nor private – can solve hunger alone.’ said Josette Sheeran, WFP Executive Director. WFPs Nutrition Improvement Approach can be accessed here: http://home.wfp.org/stellent/groups/public/documents/resources/wfp214222.pdf

Submitted by Mariana Stephens - Nutrition Advisor, Food Programming and Management Group, World Vision