Good nutrition is critical for a healthy and productive life. However, malnutrition helps cause the death of around 3 million children under five each year. Poor nutrition in early childhood impairs proper child development and learning, reduces their resistance to disease, and stops children from reaching their full potential.
The UK has played a big role in the global fight against malnutrition. In 2013, then Prime Minister David Cameron established the ‘Nutrition for Growth’ (‘N4G’) agenda, which raised $23 billion for nutrition programmes. But five years on, there is still much to be done. The financial pledges made in 2013 are running out in 2020, and new money is needed.
The Department for International Development has a strong record of funding nutrition programmes. But UK aid priorities are changing to focus more on security and economic development, creating a real risk that nutrition programmes could be cut.
It is critical that changed aid priorities do not reverse the progress that has been made on nutrition. This month, we’re asking you to arrange to visit your MP to explain why nutrition is so important.