OVERVIEW

Afghanistan has some of the highest levels of malnutrition among children and women in the world. According to the National Nutrition Survey 2013, more than 40 percent of Afghan children less than five years old have stunted growth, a symptom of chronic malnutrition.

Stunting has lifelong repercussions: the WHO estimates that adults who were stunted as children earn 20% less than non-stunted individuals. This impacts both the nation’s productivity and long term development.

The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) contributed $5 million dollars through a Delegated Cooperation to Global Affairs Canada to support an ongoing nutrition program in Afghanistan. The Canadian government is funding two projects with the aim of building the capacity of service providers and households to prevent and treat malnutrition in nine provinces. The projects are implemented by World Vision in Ghor, Herat and Badghis, and by Save the Children in Bamyan, Daikundi, Kandahar, Jawzjan, Faryab, Kunduz, Takhar, Nangarhar and Sari Pul.

ACTIVITIES

• Training of doctors, midwives, nurses, and community health workers on preventive and therapeutic nutrition services.
• Improving access to water, sanitation and hygiene, also known as WASH, interventions.
• Promoting dietary diversification with animal and plant food options through training farmers on varieties of nutritional crops, training women on home gardening, home based food fortification and chicken rearing.
• Improving capacity of the government to plan, implement and evaluate nutrition related activities.

ACCOMPLISHMENTS

• Trained 1100 health workers on nutrition service provision.
• Treated 41604 children under five for acute malnutrition.
• Supported 94 health facilities to provide treatment services for children with acute malnutrition.
• Distributed 24,640 chickens and kit to 3,080 women, and trained 1,549 women on chicken rearing.