Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Multi-sectoral Integrated Nutrition Strategy 2014.

This Multi-sectoral Integrated Nutrition Strategy is a policy document at the provincial level. The to address the underlying causes of malnutrition through enhanced coordination, communication and collaboration among the social development sectors.
The Policy seeks to help eliminate hunger, food insecurity and malnutrition. Strategy directions for the Department of Health include: Improving malnutrition in children and women through BCC, CB, surveillance and management; Promoting nutrition as an essential component of health system and integrating vertical nutrition programmes; Human Resource Development; Allocating and Enhancing budget for Nutrition; Improving micronutrient status of children and women; etc. For Drinking Water and Sanitation, Local Government and Public Health Engineering Department, Government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the Policy proposes: Improving Nutrition through: Ensuring safe drinking water & reducing risk of water borne diseases; Increasing public awareness about clean drinking water & hygienesanitation; Enhancing capacity of sanitary inspectors/hygiene promoters/ cleaners; etc. For Agriculture, Livestock and Cooperation Department, Government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the Policy proposes: Improving food security, nutrition and income through home/kitchen gardening; Enhancing food security, nutrition and income through livestock raising, beekeeping; etc.
The Policy seeks to contribute to rural poverty reduction. Proposed actions include: Advocating for introducing food supplementation and voucher schemes through donors’ support and allocation of budget in social welfare, Baitul mal, Benazir Support Programme for poor families; Improving drinking water supply to public places, schools and homes; Improving sanitation in public places, schools and homes & construction of garbage collection points; Improving food security, nutrition and income through promoting farm fisheries; Promoting nutrition sensitive programmes through farm field schools and village based community organizations; etc. The Policy is based on an equitable use of social, economic, political resources and opportunities for improving nutritional wellbeing of the population. It more emphasis on food and nutritionally insecure, poverty stricken districts, more attention and importance is given to the neglected poorest of the poor and more focus on the most vulnerable groups of population, <1000 days of age children, pregnant-lactating women and adolescent girls in all social development programmes.
The Policy promotes to enable more inclusive and efficient agricultural and food systems through: Promoting and facilitating milk and meat industry; Facilitating reduction in prices of agricultural inputs through administrative and regulatory measures; Ensuring timely availability of certified quality seeds, fertilizers pesticides, insecticides, weedicides, equipment, irrigation water, technical services, credit and marketing facilities to farmers; Improving household food distribution & food diversification in households ; Enhancing household food storage capacity for rainy days; Promoting research and development and strengthening research system; Promoting organic farming; Strengthening Extension System; etc.
The Policy also promotes to increase the resilience of livelihoods to disasters through safety nets programmes (children, pregnant and lactating women) Emergency Preparedness and Response Plan (EPRP) to address emergencies.
In terms of governance, establishment of a Provincial Integrated Nutrition Strategy Liaison and Coordination Cell (PINSLCC), constituting of Steering Committee and Technical working Group at Planning and Development Department shall be a right step towards integrating and coordinating nutrition sensitive programmes. The PINSLCC shall be responsible for overseeing the progress of each sector and provide necessary inputs during the planning, implementation and evaluation phases of the programme.