THE DEPARTMENT of Science and Technology urged the Department of Education and other government agencies to include the Enhanced Nutribun in feeding programs to help combat stunting in the country.

The DOST’s Food and Nutrition Research Institute said that the Department of Social Welfare and Development may also include the Enhanced Nutribun and other innovative food products in food packages the welfare department distributes.

Using the Nutribun will not only help reduce cases of stunting in the country but will also help create livelihood opportunities. The DOST- FNRI said that the production of Enhanced Nutribun will provide job opportunities to food processing centers, bakery workers, suppliers and service providers. It will also help farmers who produce necessary raw materials like rice, mongo and squash among others.

Stunting among children under five years old in the Philippines decreased from 33.4 percent in 2015 to 30.3 percent in 2018.

The 2022 Philippine Plan of Action for Nutrition targets 21.4 percent reduction in stunting prevalence in the country. To achieve this, a 2.2 percentage point decrease is necessary. Also, a 2.5 percentage point decrease is needed to meet the zero-malnutrition target of the 2030 United Nations Sustainable Development Goal.

To address this issue, DOST- FNRI recently conducted a Virtual Stakeholders Forum in Region IV-B or MIMAROPA.

The result of the Expanded National Nutrition Survey was the highlight of the forum. The ENNS results will serve as scientific basis in guiding nutrition officers and frontliners like Barangay Nutrition Scholars and Barangay Health Workers in the implementation and evaluation of nutrition and health programs in the region.

To promote its advocacy on proper nutrition, the DOST-FNRI, in cooperation with the DOST regional and provincial offices in MIMAROPA region, also pushed for the adoption of innovative food technologies that can produce nutritious food products.

For more information on the ENNS, nutritious and fortified food technologies or other food and nutrition concerns, contact Dr. Imelda Angeles-Agdeppa, Officer in-Charge, Office of the Director, DOST-FNRI, FNRI Building, DOST Compound, General Santos Avenue, Bicutan, Taguig City, Metro Manila.