There are indications that most African countries would be faced with the challenge of child malnutrition in the nearest future if urgent steps are not taken to arrest the ugly situation. Malnutrition is described as a state of illness or weakness which occurs as a result of being malnourished, while malnourishment is also a state of not eating enough or good food.
Hikes in Food Prices
The current food price hikes in the continent is not helping matters at all as it further helped in raising micronutrient deficiencies, with its negative consequences such as impaired cognitive development, lower resistance to disease, and increased risks during childbirth for both mothers and children.
These are part of the research findings released recently by the United State (US) based International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) at the annual general meeting of the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR), which works to achieve sustainable food security and reduce poverty in developing countries through scientific research.
It needs to be pointed out, that the research focused on the double impact of the food price and financial crises on agriculture and the poor in the Mozambican capital, Maputo and it noted that at present most African countries are trying to cope with the food price crisis that began in 2007 with the onset of the global economic slowdown, which has hammered the already reduced spending power of the poor.
http://www.allvoices.com/contributed-news/5890405-african-countries-facing-the-challenge-of-infant-malnutrition
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