Strategic Plan 2016/17 - 2020/21 of the Tanzania Food and Nutrition Centre (TFNC).

This TFNC Strategic Plan for the year 2016/17 – 2020/21 is a nationwide sectoral document in line with the Five Year Development Plan, the goals in Tanzania’s Development Vision 2025, National Strategy for Growth and Reduction of Poverty II, and UN Sustainable Development Goals. It focuses on the improvement of nutrition and nutrition-related services to the public to contribute to sustainable development through a well-nourished and healthy population. The Tanzania Food and Nutrition Centre is the responsible body for the nutrition-related issue in the country and was established to coordinate policy and action on nutrition primarily between agriculture and health. The strategic objectives pursued by the Plan are (i) coordination of nutrition and nutrition-related activities strengthened; (ii) research and training on subjects related to food and nutrition improved; (iii) food and nutrition program for the benefit of the public strengthened; (iv) national nutrition information and data improved; (v) planning, budgeting, financial controls and soliciting of funds strengthened; and (vi) staff welfare and capacity enhanced. To these there are added the two following objectives of a more general nature, they are (1) service improved and HIV/AIDS infections and non-communicable diseases reduced; and (2) enhancement and effective implementation of the National Anti-Corruption Strategy.
The document mainly focuses on capacity building at all levels to tackle the nutrition issues, particularly through the following (i) coordination of nutrition and nutrition-related activities through a strategic leadership at the national level which includes developing and reviewing food and nutrition policies, guidelines, strategies, protocols and standards; (ii) capacity building on research on matters relating to food and nutrition; (ii) implementation of programs on food and nutrition to the public including control of iodine deficiency disorders, vitamin A deficiency, nutritional anemia, food fortification, infant and young child nutrition, and management of acute malnutrition diseases; (iv) improvement of the existing national food and nutrition information and data; (v) provision of technical guidance to the nutrition officers responsible for identifying key nutrition problems, designing nutrition interventions, integrating them into the national and council plans and budgets, and overseeing their implementation.