International expert highlights Armenia’s progress in overcoming malnutrition

YEREVAN, JANUARY 15, ARMENPRESS. Armenia has made progress in improving the food safety and nutrition and can serve as a good example both for neighboring and Central Asian countries, Shenggen Fan - director general of the International Food PolicyResearch Institute(IFPRI), said during the presentation of the National Strategic Study on Food Safety and Nutrition in Armenia, reports Armenpress. He thanked for the good research done, adding that he has also been engaged in these works.

“Regardless of the country being big or small, the issues of food and nutrition safety are very important. Malnutrition in this region exists as a challenge, and we must try to understand the reasons of this phenomenon and take steps to eliminate them. Armenia has made a significant progress, the malnutrition is 5% which is quite significant”, the international expert said.

Shenggen Fan attached importance to the implementation of social security programs for addressing the issue of malnutrition, highlighting the need to take steps to get the poor out of poverty and increase their role in the market in the long-run. “The social security programs should also concentrate on the productive capacity development”, he said.

According to the expert, the school food program is a successful attempt for solving nutrition issues thanks to which the school kids are provided with healthy food, and the small businesses have a chance to provide services and develop.

According to the data of the National Strategic Study on Food Safety and Nutrition in Armenia, 6% of Armenia’s population in 2015 has been malnourished.