FAO and WHO Second International Conference on
Nutrition:
Better nutrition and better lives in focus
The Second International Conference on Nutrition (ICN2) jointly
organised by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World
Health Organization (WHO), is due to take place at FAO Headquarters in
Rome from November 19-21, 2014, says a press release.
It further says, the first International Conference on Nutrition,
organised by FAO and WHO, was held in 1992, and produced a World
Declaration and Plan of Action for Nutrition. ICN2 will review the
progress made in the intervening years, focusing specifically on
country-level achievements and proven interventions in scaling up
nutrition.
It will also identify new challenges and opportunities for improving
nutrition policies and coordination across multiple sectors. ICN2 will
be the first global intergovernmental conference to address the world's
nutrition problems in the 2lst century.
FAO and WHO, as the leading agencies dealing with nutrition issues
and its interrelationships with agriculture and health, are calling
international attention to a renewed effort to address the issue in a
holistic way.
"From any side you look at it, the price tag of malnutrition is too
high. That is why we need ICN2 right now," said FAO Director-General,
José Graziano da Silva.
ICN2 will bring together senior national policymakers from
agriculture, health and other relevant ministries and agencies, with
leaders of United Nations agencies and other intergovernmental
organisations and civil society, including non-governmental
organisations, researchers, the private sector and consumers.
The immediate challenge is to reach a consensus on ways to ensure a
high degree of policy coherence between food supply and public health to
guarantee food and nutrition security for all. Together, participants
will identify policy priorities for improving nutritional outcomes.
Graziano further said that while much progress has been made since
the first ICN in 1992, there is still considerable room for improvement.
Malnutrition does not stop at hunger - it is a major impediment to
development and the full realisation of human potential. For children
especially, the long-term effects of malnutrition include both physical
and cognitive stunting, preventing them from reaching their full
potential in school.
This in turn affects future job and income opportunities, thus
perpetuating a cycle of poverty and slowing the economic development of
the community. The responsibility for proper nutrition does not lie
solely on the individual - malnutrition has serious effects on the whole
population, both on national health systems and on the entire cultural,
social and economic fabric of nations.
"Investing in nutrition is not only a moral imperative, but an
economic one, as it improves productivity and economic growth, reduces
health care costs and promotes education, intellectual capacity and
social development," said FAO Representative for Sri Lanka and the
Maldives, Beth Crawford.
For Sri Lanka, ICN2 comes at a time of renewed focus in the country
on nutrition, in particular surrounding the implementation of the
Multi-sector Action Plan for Nutrition launched by President Mahinda
Rajapaksa at the end of 2013.
Sri Lanka will be represented in Rome by a high level delegation from
the Ministry of Agriculture, the Ministry of Health and the National
Nutrition Secretariat.
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