Lawrence Haddad, Senior Research Fellow of International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), explained Why India Needs a National Nutrition Strategy on his blog 3 years ago.

Over the past 15 years India’s economic growth rate has been unprecedented. The International Monetary Fund reports an average growth in real gross domestic product (GDP) of nearly 6% in the 1990s and of 8% in 2000-10. The economic growth has not, however, been associated with corresponding reductions in the rates of childhood undernutrition.

The same challenge seems to currently hit Cambodia.

According to the latest poverty assessment, between 2004 and 2011, Cambodia enjoyed steady improvement in macro economy and poverty. However, malnutrition has not improved even with high growth, poverty reduction and human development. The share of stunted children 0-60 months old decreased only from 42% to 40%, and under-weight children stalled at 38%, children with wasting increased from 8% to 11%. The report cannot identify the reasons for this adverse trend compared to consumption increase but call for actions on the quality of food intake, sanitation and so on.

Does Cambodia need a national nutrition strategy?

Reference

• World Bank (2013) Where Have All The Poor Gone? Cambodia Poverty Assessment 2013.