ZANZIBAR FOOD SECURITY AND NUTRITION POLICY - Kilimo

Preamble
Over the past few years, the Revolutionary Government of Zanzibar (RGoZ)
has been taking various initiatives on fighting food insecurity and malnutrition,
improving life conditions and reducing poverty of the people. In 2000, RGoZ
launched the Zanzibar Development Vision 2020 for the aim of eradicating
absolute poverty and attaining sustainable development. As a development
framework to implement Vision 2020, the Zanzibar Poverty Reduction Plan
(ZPRP, 2002-2005) was launched in 2002, followed by its second generation
- the Zanzibar Strategy for Growth and Reduction of Poverty (ZSGRP or
MKUZA, its Kiswahili acronym) - which was launched in 2007.
Where ZPRP made no mention of food security and nutrition as key poverty
reduction issues and lacked comprehensive initiatives to address the complex
and multi-dimensional issues of poverty and food insecurity, MKUZA puts
emphasis on tackling food security and nutrition from a cross-sectoral
perspective stressing the interrelating nature between poverty reduction and
food security. In view of the above, MKUZA recommended the formulation of
a Food Security and Nutrition Policy to effectively address the cross-sectoral
issues of food security and nutrition and to characterize and prioritize food
insecure and vulnerable groups. The ZFSN Policy is the result of analysis of
the food security and nutrition situation, poverty related literature, extensive
review of sector policies as well as findings from field level consultations
and regional and national consultative workshops involving a wide range of
stakeholders.
The Government is now focusing on addressing broad food security and
nutrition concerns as well as linkages between food security and nutrition and
poverty reduction and development as articulated in the Zanzibar Strategy
for Growth and Reduction of Poverty. Equally the Policy aims at creating a
conducive environment to enable all Zanzibaris to access at all times safe,
nutritious and adequate food for an active and healthy life. The Policy is
based on a number of principles that guide the implementation process to
meet its objectives, including the recognition of the human right to adequate
food and nutrition and to a standard of living conducive to an active and
healthy life, principles of equity and empowerment, as well as a clear focus
on resource-poor households and communities.