National Nutrition Strategy 2011/12-JUNE 2015/16.

The government and its partners have developed the National Nutrition Strategy (NNS) to state the priorities of the Government of Tanzania during the period July 2011 to June 2016 to ensure that the Nation and its people are properly nourished. It is in line with, and will contribute to, the National Development Vision 2025, MKUKUTA, the African Regional Nutrition Strategy (2005-2015) and the policies and strategies of the government.
The goal of the Strategy is that all Tanzanians attain adequate nutritional status, which is an essential requirement for a healthy and productive nation.
This will be achieved through policies, strategies, programs and partnerships that deliver evidence-based and cost-effective interventions to improve nutrition.
The Strategy provides an overview of the priority nutrition interventions and strategic directions for nutrition for the period July 2009 to June 2015.
It provides a framework for sustainable improvements in nutrition that are based on scientific evidence and input obtained from the community to the national levels.
The Government of Tanzania will implement the strategy according to the following implementation principles: (i) community participation: A key aim of the Strategy is to enable communities to lead the action needed to address the local nutrition problems they face through participatory approaches. Linkages between the community level and higher levels of care will be strengthened, (ii) integrated delivery: nutrition interventions will be integrated within the delivery of facility based and community-based health services. opportunities to integrate nutrition interventions into the extension services of other sectors, such as agriculture, will also be explored, (iii) universal coverage: the aim is to achieve universal coverage of high-impact interventions throughout the lifecycle to save lives and reduce inequities, with a focus on targeting those most in need-women, young children, the poor, hard-to-reach and marginalized communities and individuals, (iv) appropriate technology: in designing interventions and programs to address malnutrition, appropriate technology will be employed that pays special consideration to the environmental, ethical, cultural, social and economical aspects of the community it is intended for, (v) working in partnership: scaling up delivery demands stronger partnerships between all stakeholders: the government, civil society, communities, private sectors, (vi) intersectoral collaboration: sectoral responsibilities that contribute to reducing malnutrition are maintained.
In order to eliminate hunger, food insecurity and malnutrition, a number of key strategies will be implemented by the strategy in order to reduce the prevalence rate of nutrition disorders, including: (i) increase access to nutrition services at community and facility level, (ii) strengthen the quality of nutrition services, (iii) improve the district- and regional-level management of nutrition services, (iv) enhance behaviours, customs and traditions of men, women, caregivers, family and community members, and those who influence them which impacts positively on nutrition, (v) enhance behaviours, customs and traditions of men, women, caregivers, family and community members, and those who influence them which impacts positively on nutrition, (vi) increase the integration of nutrition intervention into the delivery of health services.
In the context of governance, the strategy plans to establish a department charged with coordination nutrition activities with other Ministries, Local Government and programs and projects should be established, preferably in TFNC. The DPG Nutrition will continue to enhance coordination among development partners and ensure greater technical and financial support for nutrition. At the regional level, forums will be established to facilitate interaction on a regular basis. At the district level, the council development plans offer opportunities for collaboration among partners and integration of actions for nutrition.