The Undersecretary of the Libyan Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock for Diwan Affairs and Agricultural Reclamation, Mohamed Bashir Al-Turki, met with the Director of the World Food Program (WFP) in Libya. This occurred in the presence of a number of experts and specialists in various agricultural fields.
The meeting discussed the mechanisms of joint cooperation in the field of livestock. They discussed the cooperation program in training and qualification to raise competencies and national cadres in the various agricultural as well as livestock fields.
Last month, Michele Servadei, the Libyan Representative of the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) said that after the nutrition SMART survey in Libya, UNICEF estimated that 32,000 children are severely, and acutely malnourished. “We could treat them all and build system capacity to screen and treat with about $3.5 million dollars. We need your support.”
In a thread on its Twitter account, UNICEF Libya noted that the first nutrition assessment was conducted to determine the nutritional status of mothers and children under the age of five.
“The Bureaus of Statistics and Census and Primary Health Care Institute, supported by UNICEF Libya, the Action Against Hunger, and the WFP concluded the efforts in December.”
“UNICEF Libya presented the preliminary results of the National SMART Nutrition Survey, together with government key partners: Ministry of Planning, Ministry of Health, Primary Health Care Institute (PHCI), Bureau of Statistics and Census (BSC),” it added.
According to UNICEF, the findings of the assessment will make it easier to establish a program in Libya that is based on evidence. This can then be used to prevent all types of malnutrition, and achieve goals related to national and global agendas for nutrition as well as wellness.
It clarified that the principal findings are:
• The Global Acute Malnutrition rate prevalence is 3.8%.
• The Southern region’s Acute Malnutrition rate is 6.1% which falls under alert the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification.
• With this rate of Global Acute Malnutrition, 31,824 children are already acutely malnourished and in need of nutritional support.
Libya has been in chaos since a NATO-backed uprising toppled longtime leader Muammar Gaddafi in 2011. The county has for years been split between rival administrations, each backed by rogue militias and foreign governments.
