Liberia Multi-Sectoral Nutrition Costed Strategic Plan (LMNCSP).

This Multi-Sectoral Nutrition Costed Strategic Plan (LMNCSP) is a comprehensive, nationwide initiative designed to reduce malnutrition in Liberia. By engaging all relevant stakeholders through a multisectoral approach, the LMNCSP aims to address both nutrition-specific and nutrition-sensitive challenges. The primary goal is to reduce the stunting rate among children under five from 29.8 percent in 2023 to 18 percent by 2028, while also tackling other forms of malnutrition. The Plan focuses on reducing stunting and addressing all types of malnutrition by implementing the National Nutrition Policy, revised in 2019. It includes targeted interventions that consider the context, causes, and consequences of malnutrition in Liberia. The Policy reflects the Government of Liberia's recognition of the crucial role optimal nutrition plays in national development, particularly in enhancing human capital, driving economic growth, and boosting productivity. Recognizing that nutrition is fundamental to Liberia's socio-economic progress, the Government has prioritized it on the national development agenda. The key sectors for interventions are under the following Thematic Areas (i) Crops/Horticulture; (ii) Fisheries/ Livestock; (iii) Food Consumption and Healthy Practices; (iv) Food Fortification, Processing and Storage; (v) Prevention and Management of Acute Malnutrition; (vi) Maternal Infant and Young Child Nutrition (MIYCN); (vii) Multiple Micronutrient Supplementations; (viii) Prevention of Nutrition Related Diseases; (ix) Social Protection and Gender Empowerment; (x) WASH; (xi) Emergency and Shocks.
The multi-sector approach to reducing malnutrition relies on a collaborative environment across all levels, from national to community. This approach involves coordination among key sectors such as agriculture, health, education, social protection, early child development, water, hygiene and sanitation, and the private sector. Essential actions include increased financial resources for nutrition projects, capacity building for nutrition staff, active coordination mechanisms, fostering collaboration among stakeholders, and advocacy for legal protections for nutrition. The document outlines three main components (1) Nutrition-Specific Interventions to address immediate causes of malnutrition. These include promoting adolescent and pre-conception nutrition, iron folic supplementation for pregnant women, food fortification, optimal breastfeeding, multi-micronutrient supplementation for children, Vitamin A supplementation, appropriate complementary feeding, treating severe acute malnutrition, promoting hand washing, and deworming children; (2) Nutrition-Sensitive Interventions, involving various government ministries, UN agencies, partners, civil society, and community actors. They focus on interventions linked to food systems, including agriculture, food security, education, health, WASH, gender, social protection, and partnerships with the private sector to support complementary food production; (3) Nutrition Governance to create an enabling environment involves enacting legislation, policies, and regulations, ensuring monitoring, evaluation, accountability, transparency, coordination, advocacy, and resource mobilization. Strengthening capacity is also crucial for effective nutrition governance.
The LMNCSP outlines five strategic objectives in detail (1) Improve Access and Utilization of Nutrition Interventions: Ensure that by 2028, all government health facilities provide a comprehensive package of proven Direct Nutrition Interventions (DNI) and nutrition-specific interventions; (2) Address Underlying Determinants of Malnutrition: Through multisectoral nutrition-sensitive interventions, complement nutrition-specific efforts to reduce all forms of malnutrition by 40% by 2028; (3) Create an Enabling Environment: Foster a supportive environment for positive nutrition outcomes by developing and implementing nutrition policies, guidelines, laws, and legislation, and influencing policies in other sectors to incorporate a nutrition perspective; (4) Enhance Nutrition Awareness and Behaviors: Promote awareness and practices of positive nutrition behaviors to achieve optimal nutrition status through effective demand creation; (5) Strengthen Monitoring, Evaluation, and Research: Enhance sectoral and multisectoral monitoring, evaluation, learning, accountability, and research in nutrition to support and improve program effectiveness.