JAPAN and the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) signed a new partnership funding worth USD3.4 million to improve school nutrition in pilot schools in the Western and Isabel provinces.
The signing ceremony was convened at the Japanese Embassy in Honiara last Friday.
The funding is aimed at addressing the triple burden of malnutrition by reaching 30,000 children through a national school meal programme and a project called the “Nutrition Improvement through the School Meals in Isabel and Western Provinces.”
The 3,000 children in pilot schools in Western and Choiseul provinces will benefit directly from healthier, locally frown food and improved Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) services.
Japanese Ambassador to Solomon Islands, Haguchi Keiichi said the project will provide sustainable food production support to communities surrounding four boarding schools in Isabel and Western Provinces and establish an agricultural distribution system for these four schools.
He added the project will focus on improving the nutrition and hygiene of these boarding school students and the provision of education, which aims to create virtuous cycle for maintaining good health in Solomon Islands.
“Solomon Islands has been suffering from the triple burden of malnutrition which are undernutrition, micronutrient deficiencies and overnutrition. This is considered to be caused by unhealthy dietary habits such as consumption of insufficient fruits and vegetables and high daily intake of processed food as well as carbonated soft drinks.
“Furthermore, Solomon Islands is one of the most affected and vulnerable countries in the world in the impacts of Climate Change, environmental degradation, which has affected our biodiversity and has led to loss of habitat. This means the staple source of root crops and vegetable are becoming vulnerable, which have led to soaring prices in the domestic market outlets.
“I hope that project will increase the productivity of farmers in Isabel and Western Provinces and contribute to economic stability. Furthermore, as the complexity of NCDs (Non-Communicable Diseases) necessitates a multifaceted contribution to the future of the boarding school students in these two provinces,” Ambassador Haguchi said.
UNICEF Pacific Representative Jonathan Veitch also addressed that the sub-optimal childhood nutrition can have lasting impacts by increasing the risk of obesity and NCDs into adulthood.
So, he said good nutrition in childhood is crucial for lifelong health and wellbeing.
Mr Veitch said through this partnership, they will help schools create and implement meal guidelines that focus on using local foods instead of processed food.
“We will support local communities with to produce more nutritious foods like sweet potato, cassava, yam, taro, banana and pumpkin.
“And we will help to link these communities with nearby schools to enable a fresh supply of healthy, local food for their school meals reducing reliance on imported processes foods,” Mr Veitch said.
The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock, Dr Samson Viulu and his Ministry of Education and Human Resource Development counterpart, Dr Franco Rodie expressed gratitude to Japan and UNICEF for their partnership under the project.
PS Viulu said he is looking forward to continuous collaboration on the project, adding that his ministry is ready to support the project.
PS Roddie said the project will have a lasting impact on students, empowering them to reach their full potential.
By AGNES MENANOPO
Solomon Star, Honiara
