There is a need to conduct further studies on child feeding practices, impact of teenage centers in preventing teenage pregnancies, over and under nutrition, and nutritional values of meals consisting indigenous food.
These were among the inputs gathered during the recent Food and Nutrition Research Institute of the Department of Science and Technology stakeholders’ forum, which aimed to generate ideas, insights and perspectives, towards the development of 2016-2020 FNRI Research and Development Agenda in Food and Nutrition in the region.
The inputs generated for the first 1,000(days of a Child) include the needs for further studies on local infant and young child feeding practices, factors affecting in low pre-natal and post natal check-up, impact of the establishment of teen centers in the reduction of teenage pregnancies in the region, and recipe book for pregnant women.
For over and under nutrition, the participants want impact studies addressing malnutrition, intensify information/advocacy campaign, and research on the nutritional values of indigenous meals and local food products, the forum was aimed to stimulate research and development of innovative interventions to meet the challenges existing nutrition problems, FNRI Director Mario Capanzana said.
The FNRI wants to get stakeholders’ feedback on the researches the agency has been doing for them to develop interventions that are more responsive to the present nutrition situation.
The participants were ask to identify the research and development needs today and beyond , focusing on the first 1,000 days, under nutrition, over nutrition, micro nutrient deficiencies, indigenous people, differently abled and senior citizens, gender equality and other nutrition concerns. The forum, which was participated in by top leaders of government and non-government organizations, partner industries, and local government officials, was anchored on the theme “Responding to the needs of every Juan and Juana for improved quality life.”
During the workshop, the participants were divided into four groups com posed of local government units, regional line agencies, small and medium enterprises, and the academe. Maria Aprila Cruz