On Monday, August 9th, 2021, Prime Minister Taur Matan Ruak launched, in Dili, the National Nutrition Award Programme, in order to achieve the great national goal of Eradicating Hunger and Malnutrition, foreseen in the National Strategic Development Plan (NSDP) and in the commitments made by the Country in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG).
The National Nutrition Award Programme will be implemented by the UN SUN Movement National Secretariat in collaboration with Members of the Interministerial Committee on Food Security (KONSSANTIL) under the leadership of the Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries.
This National Award has a financial support of one hundred thousand dollars, from the World Food Programme (WFP) and technical support from national and international Development Partners, in particular the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the Department of Foreign Affairs of Australia (DFAT).
This programme follows on from the Presidential Nutrition Award, implemented during Taur Matan Ruak’s tenure in the Presidency between 2014 and 2017.
The Prime Minister, in his speech, expressed “great satisfaction” in the re-launch of this Programme “that intends to be a source of inspiration, encouragement and stimulus in favour of more informed, active, participative and organised Citizenship and Food Communities, with emphasis on the role of local authorities, as well as the need to involve Youth and the duty of Inclusion of Feminine groups and groups with disabilities”.
The Head of Government said that the National Nutrition Award is intended to “promote innovation, creativity and entrepreneurship, involving all development partners in the implementation of the plan and the different measures to fight hunger and malnutrition, namely technicians, experts, specialists or scholars for the need to discuss, in National Dialogue, the issues of ‘healthy and environmentally friendly food’, in a true spirit of Food Community”.
He also added that this debate “will certainly contribute to improving our food production, distribution and storage processes, fostering the downward curve of national malnutrition rates, which in 2010 affected 58% of the population and in 2020 would still affect 48% of our citizens, especially the most deprived, vulnerable and disadvantaged”.