National Plan of Action for Nutrition.

The objective of the National Plan of Action on Nutrition (NPAN) is to improve the nutritional status of the Lebanese population. The concerned international agencies (FAO, WHO) specified the issues to be treated as follows: 1- Assessing, analyzing and monitoring nutrition situations; 2- Incorporating nutrition objectives into development programs and policies; 3- Improving household food security; 4- Preventing micronutrient deficiencies; 5- Protecting the consumer through improved food quality and safety; 6- Promoting healthy lifestyles and diet; 7- Promoting breast-feeding; 8- Preventing and managing infectious diseases; 9- Caring for the socio-economically disadvantaged and nutritionally vulnerable. The plan lays down general objectives, and work strategies for the period between year 1996 and 2000 that determined clearly the priorities which need to be supported to enhance the nutritional situation. Each of the objectives is accompanied by analysis of the present situation , exposing the most important problems and obstacles that determined the strategies, plan of action, authorities responsible for action, time for action, and budget. The most important objective of the plan was incorporating nutrition objectives and goals into development policies and programmes. Nutritional safety is one of the most important issues in the developmental projects and one of its important consequences, particularly in projects aiming at increasing food and agricultural production, marketing, providing loans, securing satisfactory income, enhancing the health situation, treating environmental problems and rehabilitation of the infrastructure.
The importance of this plan is based on the respect of the Lebanese institutions for its commitment to prepare a national plan for nutrition to carry out the resolution of Rome conference; However, its successfulness and effect is conditioned to the following matters: It should include all the population groups and be able to meet all their food and nutrition needs to achieve a complete and balanced development. It should be the frame that accentuated in it the strengths and abilities of private and public institutions without exception. It should be able to obtain the interest and support of international organizations throughout its implementation stages. Its strategy aims at: increasing production of food in general and staple food in particular; increasing the purchasing power of the rural poor and improve their quality of life; identifying inexpensive foods that are high in their nutritive value; encouraging cultivation of all agricultural land and employment of intensive farming techniques; promoting production and consumption of traditional foods; preparing a national plan for land use and exploitation; ensuring sufficient food supply for poor, malnourished pregnant and breastfeeding women, improving local marketing of agricultural produce and curbing down monopolies, etc.