Cebu City – Putting the best foot forward is certainly the theme for Central Visayas’ Local Nutrition Early Warning Systems for Food and Nutrition Security (LNEWS-FNS) areas as they prepare for another year of survey and dataset analysis all in the name of guarding the region’s food and nutrition security.

This was the main highlight of the online monitoring activity conducted by the National Nutrition Council Region VII (NNC 7) with LNEWS-FNS areas in the region on 24 January 2023.

The activity which reviewed the LNEWS-FNS results from the previous quarter and discusses these results for ways to address foreseen problems in food and nutrition security.

Generally, results show an anticipated concern in food accessibility because of a steep increase in food prices in the second half of 2022, there were also instances of sudden increase in diarrheal cases and issues in regular LNEWS-FNS operations brought about by limited support at the barangay level.

Upon discussion, several action points have been agreed including a campaign for household level food production to decrease food expenses, water treatment to prevent water-borne diseases, and close supervision of new enumerators.

In preparation for the 2023 LNEWS-FNS activities, areas have agreed to include support the LNEWS activities in the local nutrition action plans and discuss the results with the local nutrition committee to address problem and laude good practices.

Five LNEWS-FNS areas were present in the activity namely: Bais City; Buenavista, Bohol; Carmen, Cebu; and Dalaguete, Cebu.

Meanwhile, the National Nutrition Council Region VII gears up for a visit to the Municipality of Alcantara, Cebu as they are the only LNEWS area who was not present during the activity, to investigate the LGU’s nutrition program activity and offer technical assistance. // NO III Nasudi G. Soluta, RND