A threat to lives an development

Malnutrion threatens the lives of children and woment in Tanzania. It is responsible for more than 130 child deaths everyday, making it the single greatest cause of under- five deaths in the country.

Malnutrition also impacts on health, education and work productivity, and is a major impediment to economic growth and development. Malnourished children start school late in life, do less well and are more likely to drop out. As adults, their work productivity is limited by poor educational achievement and stunting, often combined with a poor diet and anaemia that makes them tired and weak.

These staggering facts stand in stark contrast to the meagre prominence of nutrition in Tanzanian policy and programming and indicate that opportunities are being missed to accelerate development.