TANZANIA FOOD AND NUTRITION CENTRE
20TH ANNIVERSARY, 1973 - 1993
MONOGRAPH SERIES No. 1
by
Festo P. Kavishe
with contributions by S.S. Mushi
APRIL, 1993
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TANZANIA FOOD AND NUTRITION CENTRE |
UN ACC/SCN country case study supported by UNICEF United Nations Children’s Fund. A case study for the XV Congress of the International Union of Nutritional Sciences, September 26 to October 1, 1993 Adelaide
UNITED NATIONS
ADMINISTRATIVE COMMITTEE ON COORDINATION - SUBCOMMITTEE ON NUTRITION
(ACC/SCN)
The ACC/SCN is the focal point for harmonizing the policies and activities in nutrition of the United Nations system. The Administrative Committee on Coordination (ACC), which is comprised of the heads of the UN Agencies, recommended the establishment of the Subcommittee on Nutrition in 1977, following the World Food Conference (with particular reference to Resolution V on food and nutrition). This was approved by the Economic and Social Council of the UN (ECOSOC). The role of the SCN is to serve as a coordinating mechanism, for exchange of information and technical guidance, and to act dynamically to help the UN respond to nutritional problems.
The UN members of the SCN are FAO, IAEA, World Bank, IFAD, ILO, UN, UNDP, UNEP, UNESCO, UNFPA, UNHCR, UNICEF, UNRISD, UNU, WFC, WFP and WHO. From the outset, representatives of bilateral donor agencies have participated actively in SCN activities. The SCN is assisted by the Advisory group on Nutrition (AGN), with six to eight experienced individuals drawn from relevant disciplines and with wide geographical representation. The Secretariat is hosted by WHO in Geneva.
The SCN undertakes a range of activities to meet its mandate. Annual meetings have representation from the concerned UN agencies, from 10 to 20 donor agencies, the AGN, as well as invitees on specific topics; these meetings begin with symposia on topics of current importance for policy. The SCN brings certain such matters to the attention of the ACC. The SCN sponsors working groups on inter-sectoral and sector-specific topics. Ten-year programmes to address major deficiencies, vitamin A and iodine, have been launched.
The SCN compiles and disseminates information on nutrition, reflecting the shared views of the agencies concerned. Regular reports on the world nutrition situation are issued, and flows of external resources to address nutrition problems are assessed. State-of-the-Art papers are produced to summarize current knowledge on selected topics. As decided by the sub-committee, initiatives are taken to promote coordinated activities - inter-agency programmes, meetings, publications-aimed at reducing malnutrition, primarily in developing countries.
CHAPTER 2: THE POLITICAL ECONOMY OF NUTRITION IN TANZANIA: POLICY AND INSTITUTIONAL CONTEXT
Introduction
Tanzania’s economic structureThe colonial economic heritage
Post-independence economic State interventions
Some disturbing features of the economy
Liberalization and Privatization
The impact of structural adjustmentPattern in sectoral resource allocation
Institutional involvement in nutrition relevant actions
The Household as an institution
The village/community as an institution
Ward Level
Divisional Level
District Level
Regional Level
National Level
Popular and Non-Governmental Institutions
International Organizations and donor role in nutritionThe sectoral definition of the nutrition problem
The use of nutrition information in policy and planning
The winners and losers of different policy decisions relevant to nutrition
CHAPTER 3: ANALYSIS OF THE NUTRITION SITUATION AND TRENDS IN TANZANIA
Introduction
Sources of information and reliability of data
The public health significance of malnutrition in Tanzania
Protein Energy Malnutrition (PEM)Nutritional status of children aged under five years
Nutritional status of school age children
Nutritional status of adolescents
Nutritional status of adults
Maternal malnutritionIodine deficiency disorders (IDD)
Vitamin A deficiency (VAD)
Nutritional Anaemia
FluorosisDiet and nutrition related non-communicable diseases
Malnutrition and the Mortality patternMaternal mortality
Perinatal mortality
Infant and Under-five year child mortality
CHAPTER 4: ANALYSIS OF THE DIFFERENT PROBLEMS AND CAUSES RELATED TO NUTRITIONAL STATUS
Introduction
Who are the malnourished?
The pattern of vulnerability in Tanzania
Introduction
Food security and nutritional status
Factors determining household food security
Tanzania’s potential for food production
Food crop versus cash crops
Food aid and food security
National self food-sufficiency
Regional food sufficiency
Post harvest food management (Industrial and Household level)
Food fortification
Economic and social accessibility to food
Adequacy of food intake
Food consumption patterns
The environment and food security
Conclusion
CHAPTER 6: NUTRITION AND THE CONTROL OF DISEASES
Introduction
Malaria
Acute respiratory infections (ARI)
Diarrhoea and vomiting
Measles
HIV and AIDS
The Health ServicesSystems for health care delivery
Health care facilities
Health care personnel
Accessibility to health care
Health care quality
Health financing
Health care in need of treatment
CHAPTER 7: WOMEN'S CONTROL OF RESOURCES AND CARING CAPACITY
Introduction
Decision making and women's control of resources
Women's reproductive burden
Female literacy, decision making and child care
The empowerment of women
The social position of women
Caring capacity for women
Caring capacity for children
Caring capacity for the elderly
Caring capacity in difficult circumstances
CHAPTER 8: NUTRITION RELEVANT POLICIES AND PROGRAMMES IN TANZANIA
Introduction
General policies to reduce economic inequalities
Household food security related policies and programmes
Public works for food security
Provision of Basic Social Services for All
Nutritional Interventions Through the Water and Sanitation Sector
Nutrition Education and Interventions Through the Educational System
Nutritional Interventions Through the Health Sector
Policies and programmes related to caring capacity
The Food and Nutrition Policy
Specific nutrition programmes of the eightiesThe Iringa Joint WHO/UNICEF Nutrition Support Programme (JNSP)
The Child Survival and Development (CSD) Programmes
Nutrition surveillance and the development of Nutrition Information Systems (NIS)
Programmes for the Control of Micronutrient MalnutritionFactors associated with success in the various programmes
Tanzania's Nutrition Goals for the 1990s
CHAPTER 9: GENERAL CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
ANNEX 1: THE ROLE OF TFNC AS A MAJOR NUTRITION INSTITUTE IN TANZANIA