Multi-Sector Nutrition Education and Communication Strategy. (NECS) II. 2021-2025.

The Multi-Sector Nutrition Education and Communication Strategy is a national sectoral strategy of Malawi for the period 2020-2025. Its goal is to contribute to efforts in reducing the prevalence of stunting among under five children from 37 % to 23 % by 2025 through integrated social and behaviour change communication interventions.
The strategy aims at I. Reducing the rate of children born with low birth weight by 30 percent; II. Increasing the rate of children 0-6 months receiving exclusive breastfeeding by 20 percent; III. Increasing the rate of children 6-23 months meeting minimum acceptable diets from 8 percent to 30 percent; IV. Reducing the rate of adolescents with acute malnutrition by 5 percent; V. Increasing the rate of women of reproductive age group (15-49) who consume four or more food groups by 40 percent; VI. Reducing the rate of pregnant women with anaemia by 15 percent.
To these ends the strategy sets the following strategic objectives: I. To enhance optimal feeding and caring practices among women before, during and after pregnancy; II. To enhance optimal feeding and caring practices among children 0-5 months; III. To enhance optimal feeding and caring practices among children 6-23 months; IV. To enhance nutrition behaviours among adolescents; V. To improve nutrition education on consumption of nutrient rich diversified foods; VI. To improve health seeking behaviour and adoption of positive norms and practices at individual, household and community level for improved nutrition; VII. To create and/or strengthen an enabling environment for effective implementation of nutrition education and communication; VIII. To strengthen knowledge management of SBCC at all levels.
For the realization of each strategic objective a series of activities are foreseen and detailed by the strategy.
The implementation of this policy implies the collaboration of several stakeholders, including ministries, departments, agencies, development partners, academic and research institutions, the public sector, the private sector, civil society organisations (CSOs), non-governmental organisations, faith-based organisations, and the communities.