Nutrition colleagues in Zambia from five UN-Nutrition Member Agencies (the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations [FAO], the International Fund for Agricultural Development [IFAD], the United Nations Children’s Fund [UNICEF], the World Food Programme [WFP] and the World Health Organization [WHO]) pride themselves on their close collaboration from knowledge sharing to government support and integrated programming. They took some time to share their experiences through the below joint interview. 

Their unity is helping Zambia tackle the multiple forms of malnutrition it faces. On one hand, 31% of children under five years old are stunted,[1] with irreversible consequences on their cognitive and physical development. At the other end of the spectrum, 28% of adults are overweight, which is likely contributing to the observed rise of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in Zambia[2] and placing pressure on the already overstretched and under-resourced health system. Promoting and ensuring access to healthy diets are a key part of the equation, yet today’s triple planetary crisis is complicating the situation. As Zambia contends with multiple burdens of malnutrition and intensifying climate change, applying the nutrition lens to food systems can help it achieve shared goals (e.g. healthy people, healthy planet).[3] 

Nutrition is part and parcel of the food systems transformation agenda in Zambia. Among other considerations, this interview highlights the structural factors and institutional arrangements – both within government and the United Nations (UN) in Zambia – that have enabled this nutrition integration. Zambia is also one of the focus countries for the Initiative on Climate Action and Nutrition (I-CAN), actively supported by FAO and WHO. Keen to see how this is playing out, the UN-Nutrition Secretariat posed the following questions to the nutrition colleagues from five Member Agencies in the country. 

Contributions provided by: Rhoda Mofya, National Coordinator of Nutrition and Food Security at FAO; Ruth Siyandi, Nutrition Specialist at UNICEF; Tyson Banda, Nutrition Programme Policy Officer at WFP; and Chipo Misondzi Mwela at WHO.

Q1: In your view, did the presence of existing nutrition coordination structures in the country foster inclusive and nutrition-smart action for food systems transformation? If so, how? 

A1: The elevation of food and nutrition oversight to the Office of the Vice President (OVP), through the 2020 Food and Nutrition Act of Parliament, has enhanced coordination of food systems transformation for the country. The OVP provides oversight, [while] the National Food and Nutrition Commission (NFNC) coordinates the different sectors on technical approaches to food systems transformation. To efficiently coordinate multi-stakeholder actions, NFNC with support from the UN has constituted and oriented a Food Systems Transformation Technical Working Group. The Group has been developing specific actions with the Zambia Food Systems Transformation Pathways guiding the participation of [multiple] sectors. The group has also developed the country monitoring and evaluation strategy. In the future, the UN [in Zambia] will support NFNC in conducting sensitization workshops on food systems transformation actions to ensure incorporation [of nutrition actions foreseen through the country’s food systems transformation pathways] in government plans. Another training is planned for Members of Parliament, which will have a nutrition component. Overall, the existing nutrition coordination structures [government, UN and multi-stakeholder coordination platforms[4]] have helped to foster inclusive and nutrition-smart action for food systems transformation. 

Q2: Zambia’s food systems transformation framework outlines five pathways. Nutrition is explicitly included in the themes of the first two,[5] making it central to the country’s food systems agenda. How did the UN agencies come together to support those efforts? How did Zambia’s membership in the Coalition of Action on Healthy Diets from Sustainable Food Systems for Children and All (HDSFS) affect these efforts?

A2: The UN agencies provided both technical and financial support in the development of the country food systems strategic document, outlining five pathways to food systems transformation. Each agency provided technical direction in line with the SDGs [Sustainable Development Goals] and the country development plan that each agency supports. The process of developing the strategic document involved district and provincial dialogues, whereby the UN[6] provided both financial and technical support. Following the completion of the Zambia Food Systems Transformation Pathways, the UN agencies and NFNC organized a pre-summit dialogue, preparing the country’s participation in the UN Food Systems Summit Stocktaking Moment in Rome (2023). Various UN agencies [in Zambia] facilitated the participation of the high-level government delegation to the summit, including the provision of technical inputs from the UN-Nutrition focal points at FAO, WFP and WHO. In November 2023, Zambia hosted the African Union summit on food systems with technical and financial support from the UN.

Being part of the HDSFS has been very beneficial to Zambia in that there has been a lot of south-south learning. Zambia has been able to learn from other countries which are ahead in terms of food systems transformation. Inclusion of nutrition-specific interventions such as exclusive breastfeeding under pathway 2 in Zambia’s food systems position paper is a result of the learning exchange this coalition has provided. The coalition also provided an opportunity for Zambia to participate at COP 28, to share lessons as well as to learn from other countries on integrated nutrition-climate actions. 

Q3: While people generally find it intuitive to conceptualize nutrition as an outcome of food systems transformation, others are still not aware that nutrition can catalyse food systems transformation. Tell us about a few strategies the UN-Nutrition group in Zambia have used to position nutrition as a driver of food systems transformation.

A3: Within the UN, the leadership of food systems [in Zambia] has been managed by a nutrition technical team (technically and financially), which has harnessed support from other experts that support the food systems agenda. This has maintained a narrative that nutrition is critical for food systems transformation in the country. The support to the Government of Zambia has also been targeted at the national coordination body for nutrition (NFNC), which has remained a co-driver of the agenda, supporting the National Food Systems Convenor.

Q4: According to the 2022 Global Nutrition Report, no country is on course to halt the rise of adult obesity. Furthermore, the proliferation of ultraprocessed foods and harmful marketing of unhealthy foods and beverages can pose a threat to both human and planetary health. Does the national food systems pathway include plans to manage conflict of interest (or other metrics to track corporate accountability) to safeguard nutrition? If so, could you kindly tell us about those provisions?

A4: Zambia intends to address the increased prevalence of obesity among adults via its second pathway, “shifting to healthy and sustainable consumption patterns.” Through this, the UN has provided support to the Ministry of Health and NFNC to conduct the “Healthy Diet Campaign.” The campaign aimed to promote the consumption of 'healthy foods', especially locally available, nutrient-dense foods through platforms such as the social media and mass media and through drama performances. Furthermore, the Ministry of Health [in Zambia] is planning to conduct the third NCD Steps Survey that will be utilized in programme planning and management as part of the shift to healthy and sustainable consumption patterns.

Entrepreneurs in the nutrition sector have been sensitized by the SUN [Scaling Up Nutrition Movement] Business Network on their roles in the promotion of healthy diets through production of nutritious, safe foods. The UN has [also] supported the Zambia Bureau of Standards, to conduct tests (nutritional content) on locally produced food. Foods that meet certain criteria, after being tested, are certified with the “Good Food” logo certification mark, which makes it easier for the consumers to make healthier food choices.

There are plans to support schools in developing guidance that will protect schoolchildren from harmful marketing of unhealthy foods and beverages. The focus [of these efforts] will be to promote healthy diets and ensure children and parents understand the consequences of consuming highly-processed foods. 

Q5: To what extent is the link made between nutrition and food systems transformation in the United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF) 2023–2027? How is that playing out in the implementation and/or monitoring of Zambia’s current UNSDCF? 

A5: Both the UNSDCF and the food system transformation pathways are aligned with the country’s 8th National Development Plan. The link between nutrition and the national food [system transformation] pathways can be seen in each of the four strategic priorities (peace, people, planet and prosperity) in the UNSDCF. The multisectoral approach to achieve desired nutrition outcomes under the food pathways is reflected in the four pillars; each UN agency, government ministry and private sector has a specific and unique contribution to the four pillars, which contribute to the achievement of positive nutrition outcomes. For example, the first two pathways ("Access to safe and nutritious foods" and "Shifting to healthy and sustainable consumption patterns") are addressed under the people, prosperity and peace pillars; whilst the pathways on “Boosting nature positive food production”, “Advancing equitable livelihood of people involved in food systems”, and “Building resilience to vulnerability, shocks and stress) are addressed through the planet, peace and prosperity pillars.

There are various factors that have contributed to nutrition’s prominent inclusion in Zambia’s food systems transformation approach. Some of these are structural be it the national nutrition coordination body’s co-stewardship in the food systems agenda or the decision to center two of the country’s food systems pathways on nutrition. In particular, Zambia’s second pathway provides a strategic framework that stakeholders are aligning behind to bridge the nutrition and environmental aspects of foods systems transformation in order to simultaneously support better human and planetary health. The presence of well-established government nutrition coordination structures and strong UN technical capacity and collaboration have helped the nutrition community ‘lean in’. The five UN colleagues interviewed also underscored the importance of integration: integrated action across sectors (e.g. agriculture, health, education); integrated action across UN agencies; and integrated approaches from the national down to the local level. In that same vein, establishing linkages between Zambia’s Food Systems Transformation Pathways, the 8th National Development Plan, the Food and Nutrition Strategic Plan and other complementary projects (e.g. the Comprehensive Agriculture Transformation Support Programme) is fundamental.[7]

The dividends of Zambia’s nutrition-oriented food systems approach could be particularly high, as the government anticipates that the agrifood sector will help the country retreat from its economic reliance on the mining industry. This shift could have a profound impact on the nutrition and wellbeing of Zambians, considering that nearly 60% of the workforce relies on agriculture-related employment and 90% of the population cannot afford a healthy diet.[7] Successful implementation of Zambia’s food systems pathways 1 and 2 will increase the chances of that payoff and the UN-Nutrition group stands committed to making that a reality. 

[1] UNICEF, WHO & World Bank. 2023. UNICEF-WHO-World Bank: Joint child malnutrition estimates – Levels and trends (2023 edition). [Cited 10 May 2024]. https://data.unicef.org/resources/jme-report-2023/ 

[2] WHO. Prevention and Control of Non-Communicable Diseases in Zambia: The Case for Investment. In: WHO African Region. Brazzaville.[Cited 11 May 2024]. https://www.afro.who.int/publications/prevention-and-control-non-communicable-diseases-zambia-case-investment#:~:text=Zambia%20has%20been%20recording%20an,Zambia%20are%20attributed%20to%20NCDs 

[3] PATH. 2022. Country Nutrition Profiles – Zambia. In: Global Nutrition Report. Seattle, USA. [Cited 10 May 2024]. https://globalnutritionreport.org/resources/nutrition-profiles/africa/eastern-africa/zambia/ 

[4] Matthews Mhuru heads the National Food and Nutrition Commission (NFNC) and dually serves as the Scaling Up Nutrition (SUN) Government Focal Point, while the UN-Nutrition group is co-chaired by UNICEF and WFP in Zambia. Representatives from government, UN, civil society, the donor community and the SUN Business Network engage in the country’s multi-stakeholder nutrition platform.

[5] Pathway 1: Ensuring access to safe and nutritious foods for all and Pathway 2: Shifting to healthy and sustainable consumption patterns.

[6] References to the UN here and elsewhere in this interview refer to the five Member Agencies of UN-Nutrition.

[7] FAO. 2024. Policymaking for agrifood systems transformation in Zambia. Rome. https://doi.org/10.4060/cc9865en