3 October 2022, Cagayan de Oro City – Members of the Northern Mindanao Mentoring Initiative for Nutrition (NorMIN) Regional Shepherding Team convened in a workshop last 30 September 2022 to formulate shepherding plans for the two target shepherding areas, Lanao del Norte Province and Iligan City.

The workshop, which was held at Chali Resort and Conference Center, this city and via Zoom, mobilized the region’s best nutrition champions, composed of awardee local government units (LGUs) and select members of the Regional Nutrition Committee (RNC) agencies. The entire NorMIN RST membership was divided into two to focus on each shepherding LGU.

The workshop was composed of two parts: nutrition situation analysis of the priority LGU and the formulation of the shepherding plans. The former involved the assessment of the LGU documents to determine the current nutrition landscape of the LGUs. Group output was mainly on findings and recommendations. To translate the recommendations to actions, the RST crafted the initial shepherding plan that the priority LGU can use as guide to improve their nutrition program management. After the workshop, the shepherding plans were refined based on comments from the body.

Initial shepherding activities will be done by the RST within the month to present to the local chief executives and members of the Lanao del Norte and Iligan City committees the shepherding plan.

The group was divided into two; the Lanao del Norte group is composed of representatives from the local nutrition committees (LNCs) of Misamis Occidental Province and Valencia City, together with Mr. Jake Dumangon, a known nutrition mentor to several LGUs, and with agencies Department of Health, Department of Agriculture, and the National Economic and Development Authority. On the other hand, the Iligan City group is made up of LNC members from Manolo Fortich, Bukidnon, Cagayan de Oro City, and representatives from Department of the Interior and Local Government, Department of Education and Commission on Higher Education.

The Nutrition Shepherding Initiative is a peer-to-peer platform which involves guiding and mentoring LGUs on nutrition by a team to enhance their knowledge and skills on nutrition program management. (Nutrition Officer III Sheena Marie G. Talle / This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. / 09631091098)