Malawi’s Minister of Health Dr Peter Kumpalume on Thursday launched management of ecosystem as one way of serving food insecurity nutrition and health in the capital City Lilongwe, with a call to Malawians to preserve natural forests to in order to bridge nutrition gap.
Kumpalume said there is a strong link between ecosystem.
“That is why when I received invitation to this meeting I never hastated but to come because these are inter related,” said Kumpalume.
Leads Programme Director Sosten Chiotha said ecosystem plays vital role in the human health.
“unfortunately people are no longer using natural forests as source of food they have to buy each and every thing,” said Prof Chiotha.
Chiotha said wildlife conservation provides several ecological social benefits although it is not well managed.
The research findings have revealed that despite Government campaign of eating 6 groups of food, people can no longer afford to eat even four groups.
In 2007, Malawi developed a national nutrition policy and strategic plan that guided the implementation of the muilti sectoral nutrition response.
The goal of the policy was to facilitate the improvement of the nutrition status of all Malawians with emphasis on under five children, pregnant and lactating women, school aged children and vulnerable groups.
Malawi Government has been expressing concern over the rate of deforestation happening in the country.