Breastmilk is no longer enough to meet a baby's nutritional requirements when he/she reaches the age of six (6) months. Complementary foods are therefore being introduced. Children who do not receive additional food to complement breast milk are more likely to lose weight and experience growth faltering during this crucial time.

The survey of Department of Science and Technology -Food and Nutrition Research Institute (DOST-FNRI) in 2015 says that the prevalence of stunting in the Philippines starts to increase from 6 months -1-year-old, this is due to improper and untimely introduction of complementary foods or limited knowledge on Infant and Young Child Feeding (IYCF) among caregivers.

To address this nutrition issue, The City Government of Kidapawan in partnership with the DOST-FNRI launched the Complementary Food Center in the City last April 8, 2021 at Brgy. Magsaysay, Kidapawan City. It was attended by Regional Director of DOST XII Engr. Sammy P. Malawan, DOST Provincial Director Michael T. Mayo, Hon. Joseph A. Evangelista - City Mayor and Ms. Melanie Espina - City Nutrition Action Officer, and the rest of the City Nutrition Committee (CNC) members who were present during the launching ceremony and ribbon cutting.

The Complementary Food Center aims to locally produce baby food blends exclusive for 6-23 months children. The nutritious baby food blends include rice and monggo food blend, rice with monggo blend with vegetables and rice and monggo with sesame food blend. The City Nutrition’s Office and City Agriculture’s Office will take a collaborative effort to produced nutritious and cost-effective complementary foods. Further, the complementary food center is also opened to produce rice-sesame-monggo blends for the neighboring municipalities if they can provide their own raw materials. Approximately, it can produce two (2) thousand baby food blends in a month. 

During this time of health crisis, child’s nutrition must not be compromised, hence unified efforts and initiatives of the Local Government Unit and its stakeholders is a must, to provide a child a successful first 1000 days journey, and part of it is to have timely and adequate complementary feeding while continuing breastfeeding to achieved optimum child's growth and development. (NOII Utlang/OIC-NPC Flores)

Reference:

Idol ko si Nanay facilitator’s guide