2008 Fiji Food and Nutrition Policy.

This Food and Nutrition Policy (FNP) background is divided into four parts: i) food availability, ii) nutritional status, iii) nutrient intake and iv) other health and lifestyle indicators. 3.1 Fundamental to food choices is food availability and access. These are intrinsically linked to food self-sufficiency (pag. 2). The most recent Food Balance Sheet for Fiji is for the year 2004 and shows that over half of Fiji’s food supply in terms of macro-nutrients (calories, protein and fat) is imported (Table 1). The Vision of this FNP is: Good health and nutritional well-being for all citizens of Fiji. The Mission is: To improve the nutritional status and health of the population; and the Overall Goal is to reach: Nutritionally healthy communities (pag. 1).
The following nine policies and their strategies are being proposed to improve the current benchmarks of food availability, nutritional status, nutrient intake as well as other lifestyle and health indicators. The Food and Nutrition Policy will support food and nutrition related policies of Government ministries and departments such as the National Centre for Health Promotion, Agriculture & Fisheries, National Planning, Trade & Commerce, Education, Consumer Council of Fiji, Non-Government and other organisations. To implement the Fiji Food and Nutrition Policy 2007 effectively, it needs to be endorsed at the highest level of Government through the nine following policies: Policy 1: Advocate nutritional issues and mainstreaming into the Government decision-making system. Policy 2: Promote and sustain household food security (through: Local initiatives for increasing production and consumption of fish and seafood, poultry and livestock and Community-based food production to increase consumption of vegetables, fruits and root crops). Policy 3: Improve national nutritional status. Policy 4: Protect consumers through improved food and water quality and safety. Policy 5: Improve nutritional status of the socio-economically disadvantaged and the groups that are nutritionally vulnerable (including children, mothers, the aged, differently-able and those living with HIV/AIDS. Policy 6: Support Nutrition Policy for Schools. Policy 7: Promote healthy diets and lifestyles. Policy 8: Establish and promote a nutrition surveillance and monitoring system. Policy 9: Strengthen collaboration with development partners (pag. 5).
The FNP is divided as follows: Introduction; Food and Nutrition Developments in Fiji; Background to the Policy; Food Availability; Nutritional Status; Nutrient Intakes; Other Health and Lifestyle Indicators; Policies; Strategies; Summary; Annexes: Cabinet Decision on the Revised 2008 Fiji Food and Nutrition Policy; Development of the 2008 Fiji Food and Nutrition Policy.