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Dedza and Salima district councils have taken a proactive approach to addressing malnutrition as they have intensified the inquiry into nutrition funding from the central government. Through Oxfam in Malawi’s Increasing Resources Allocation and Prioritisation Towards Nutrition Malawi project, the two councils have analysed gaps in nutrition funding and developed minimum standard budgets to present as a lobbying tool. Speaking on Saturday in Dowa following a district-based budget analysis, Salima district principal nutrition, HIV and Aids officer Yamikani Makondi said government’s commitment towards nutrition funding is at least five percent of the district budget, but for Salima, they had a gap of about 3.
7 percent because they had 1.3 percent allocation. “Five percent is not adequate, but if we could access it all the better,” he said.
On his part, Dedza district principal nutrition, HIV and Aids officer Loti Makina said most interventions aimed at scaling up nutrition activities are supported by partners, who often have specific areas of interest where they direct their resources. “Despite this challenge, government has taken a step forward by allocating funds towards nutrition,” he said. Oxfam in Malawi nutrition and food system transformation coordinator Chimwemwe Chilenga said the exercise was crucial to help districts have a basis on how much is required to operate optimally.
“We have always complained about limited resources, but we have never had a basis as to how much we need as a district to operate optimally,” she said. Oxfam in Malawi is implementing the project with funding from GIZ.
