The Challenge
Malawi faces a formidable malnutrition challenge. Despite impressive improvement in nutrition indicators in the last decade, including a 10-percentage point reduction in stunting prevalence between 2010 and 2015-16, the burden of malnutrition is substantial: The 2015-16 Malawi Demographic and Health Survey showed that among children under 5, 37.1% are stunted, 11.7% underweight and 2.7% wasted. Micronutrient deficiencies are also concerning, with 63% of children 6-59 months and 33% of women age 15-49 anemic. Zinc deficiency is common while vitamin A deficiency is low.
The Opportunity
Malawi has strong political commitment and coordinated policy structures, both of which are needed to face the challenge with a comprehensive multi-sectoral response. These come in the form of the National Multi-Sector Nutrition Strategic Plan (MSNP) 2018-2021, commitment to the Scaling Up Nutrition (SUN) movement, leadership from the Department of Nutrition, HIV and AIDS, coordination mechanisms at all levels with potential to support a multi-sectoral response, and nutrition M&E systems to track programs and outcomes. However, additional efforts are needed to achieve the goals. These include mobilizing resources through the Nutrition Resource Tracking Systems (NURTS) currently being implemented, as well as strengthening capacities of sub-national structures coordinating the multi-sectoral response for nutrition.
Our Work
Under the wider Technical Assistance for Nutrition project, supported by the UK Government and coordinated by Nutrition International, Results for Development is very pleased to be engaging at both the national and district levels to improve financial resource tracking and mobilization for nutrition in Malawi.
National level: Providing support to Department of Nutrition, HIV and AIDS on operationalizing NURTS. This includes supporting development partners and government ministries to provide complete and accurate data to the NURTS portal along with analysis of outputs to inform decision making. Further, we are supporting the longer-term institutionalization and sustainability of the NURTS by working with DHNA on identifying relevant coordination structures for the exercise and seeking opportunities to integrate with other ongoing resource tracking efforts in Malawi.
Additionally, R4D is also working on a domestic resource mobilization strategy for nutrition, leveraging multiple sectors and drawing on global knowledge and experience.
District level: Providing tailored capacity building support to district nutrition coordinating committees and relevant stakeholders across the nutrition planning cycle. Areas for support include strengthening nutrition outcomes through advocacy, work planning, stakeholder mapping, resource tracking and mobilization.
