Category: Nutrition

Zimbabwe’s Nutrition Advocacy and Parliamentary Engagement Project Gains Traction

Michael Gwarisa

By Michael Gwarisa In a bid to enhance nutrition advocacy and strengthen policymaker engagement on child nutrition and development, Zimbabwe has launched a network of nutrition champions, an initiative that is now gaining momentum and driving greater collaboration across sectors. The programme is being implemented by the Zimbabwe Civil Society Organisations Scaling Up Nutrition Alliance (ZCSOSUNA), with financial and technical support from UNICEF, in collaboration with key government ministries and departments. The launch followed a recent report by the Zimbabwe Livelihoods Assessment Committee (ZimLAC), which revealed that stunting remains a…

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Stunting Remains a Critical Challenge for Zimbabwe’s Children, Report Reveals

Michael Gwarisa

By Michael Gwarisa  Despite improvements in several food security and nutrition indicators, stunting rates among children under five in Zimbabwe remain alarmingly high, posing a significant threat to the nation’s human capital and long-term development, according to the recently released 2025 Rural Livelihoods Assessment Report. The report, produced by the Zimbabwe Livelihoods Assessment Committee (ZimLAC), indicates that 23.8% of children aged 6-59 months are stunted. Stunting, defined as impaired growth and development due to poor nutrition, repeated infection, and inadequate psychosocial stimulation, has lifelong consequences for health, cognitive ability, and economic productivity.…

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Childhood Obesity Emerging as a Global Public Health Crisis

Michael Gwarisa

By Staff Reporter  Childhood obesity is rapidly becoming one of the most pressing public health challenges worldwide, with millions of children now overweight or obese, according to a new global nutrition report. The report reveals that between 1990 and 2022, the number of children living with obesity soared from 31 million to 58 million, while the number of overweight children rose from 61 million to 104 million. Together, this means more than 160 million children globally are either overweight or obese, a staggering rise that health experts warn poses serious…

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Nutrition Sector Seeks Slice of Fast Food and Sugar Taxes in Upcoming Fiscal Plan

Kuda Pembere

By Kuda Pembere With the 2026 National Budget public consultations beckoning, legislators have pledged that the nutrition sector will receive a dedicated portion of revenue generated from the sugar and fast-food taxes. In an interview with HealthTimes after a Nutrition Training Workshop for Members of Parliament and Senate organized by the Zimbabwe Civil Society Organizations Scaling Up Nutrition Alliance (ZCSOSUNA) with financial and technical support from UNICEF, Gender and Development Committee acting chair Senator Eleven Kambizi commended the interface acknowledging that women carry the burden of nutriviely feeding the family.…

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CEREVITA Boosts Nutrition and Local Pride as Nestlé Expands Production in Zimbabwe

Michael Gwarisa

By HealthTimes Reporter Nestlé Zimbabwe has ramped up production of its flagship wholegrain breakfast cereal, CEREVITA, as part of a US$7 million investment into local manufacturing. The move promises to enhance national nutrition, improve food security, and reinforce Zimbabwe’s growing reputation as a regional cereal hub. Driven by Nestlé’s global purpose to unlock the power of food to enhance quality of life, the investment is already bearing fruit. The increased availability of CEREVITA across Zimbabwe is not just meeting growing consumer demand but also promoting healthier eating habits through a…

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Local NGO Plans to Revive Breastfeeding Room for Female Parliamentarians at New Parliament Building

Michael Gwarisa

By Michael Gwarisa Following the relocation of Zimbabwe’s Parliament to the new Mt Hampden parliament building, the Zimbabwe Civil Society Organisations Scaling Up Nutrition Alliance (ZCSOSUNA) is working to re-establish a breastfeeding room for female parliamentarians and staff. This initiative aims to promote and support breastfeeding in line with global health recommendations and recent national legislation. In 2021, ZCSOSUNA, with support from Parliament and Save the Children UK, launched a breastfeeding room at the old Parliament building in Harare’s Central Business District. The room provided a safe and private space…

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Strengthening Nutrition Information Systems Vital for NDS-2 Success

Michael Gwarisa

By Blessing V. Bonga There is a critical need to revamp the Food and Nutrition Council (FNC)’s information system in order to continue extracting ground truth in information to inform National Development Strategy 2 (NDS-2) on the basis of evidence and household dynamics in a bid to arrest all forms of malnutrition, a senior Council official has said. Speaking on the sidelines of FNC’s 4th Annual General Meeting held in Harare on Tuesday, Council Director General, Dr George Kembo said his organisation is worried about malnutrition and called for a…

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Zimbabwe Launches High-Level Nutrition Advocacy Initiative to Boost Public Awareness and Policy Engagement

Michael Gwarisa

By Michael Gwarisa In a move set to enhance public awareness and promote domestic financing for nutrition interventions in Zimbabwe, the Zimbabwe Civil Society Organisation for Scaling Up Nutrition (ZCSOSUNA) has launched a High-Level Nutrition Advocacy and Parliamentary Engagement Project. Funded by UNICEF in collaboration with key government ministries and departments, the 12-month project aims to strengthen nutrition advocacy and deepen engagement with policymakers on child nutrition and development. Speaking at the project’s inception meeting in Harare, Mr. Kudakwashe Zombe, ZCSOSUNA National Coordinator, said the initiative will target 140 parliamentarians…

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Seasonal Wild Vegetables Could End Hidden Hunger in Zimbabwe – Expert

Michael Gwarisa

By Michael Gwarisa A University of Zimbabwe food scientist has warned that many exotic vegetables, such as lettuce and rape, contain significantly fewer micronutrients essential for growth and combating hidden hunger. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), hidden hunger refers to malnutrition characterized by micronutrient deficiencies where individuals consume enough calories but lack essential vitamins and minerals necessary for growth and development. Speaking at a National AIDS Council (NAC) Editors and Station Managers Workshop recently, Dr. Batsi Chipurura from the Department of Nutrition, Dietetics, and Food Sciences at the…

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You Love Smoothies Right? Here Are 7 Fruit combinations that you should always avoid

Michael Gwarisa

Did you know that you should not eat some fruits with certain foods? Combining some fruits can create compatibility issues, impact digestion and overall health. Therefore, it is important to understand that some fruits should not be consumed with other foods. True, having a lot of fruits and vegetables together is very healthy. Fruits and vegetables are definitely beneficial for children, but it is always best to keep a tab on the compatibility of the kind of fruits they eat, especially when they are eating a combination of fruits. Mixing…

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