Despite relatively good food availability in Busokelo District, child stunting remains a concern, prompting the local government to intensify nutrition education among parents and caregivers.
The Busokelo District Council says inadequate knowledge of child feeding practices, coupled with parents’ demanding income-generating activities, continues to undermine efforts to improve nutrition among children.
District Nutrition Officer Mwanahawa Musa said the council was expanding community-based nutrition education, with health workers targeting parents and caregivers with practical information on balanced diets and appropriate feeding practices.
She made the remarks while speaking to journalists on the state of nutrition in Busokelo ahead of the climax of the Nanenane celebrations at the John Mwakangale grounds in Mbeya.
Ms Musa said the council was working with health workers and religious leaders to reach families with messages on child nutrition, including the importance of exclusive breastfeeding during the first six months of life.
“Nutrition officers from the Health Department are working hard to educate mothers about food and promote proper nutrition for children. We are also using religious leaders and health workers to educate communities about the importance of exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months,” she said.
According to Ms Musa, some families still introduce other foods to infants before six months because of the belief that breast milk alone is insufficient after a child reaches three months.
She said such misconceptions were among the issues the council was addressing through sustained community education.
Ms Musa said breast milk provides infants with the nutrients they need during the first six months, underscoring the importance of exclusive breastfeeding as part of efforts to improve child health and development.
She added that the council would continue using community platforms, including places of worship, to reach more parents and caregivers with nutrition information.
“Busokelo has good access to different types of food, but the challenge is how families use the available food to prepare meals that meet children’s nutritional needs,” she said.
The remarks point to a wider nutrition challenge in which food availability alone does not necessarily guarantee adequate nutrition for children.
How food is selected, combined and prepared, alongside appropriate infant feeding practices, can significantly influence child development.
Meanwhile, Ilomba Ward resident Rose Adam said some parents struggled to give adequate attention to child nutrition because of the pressure to earn a living.
“I have come to the exhibition to gain more knowledge. Many parents still do not give enough attention to child nutrition because we spend much of our time looking for income. We need to change as parents and caregivers because children are still experiencing stunting,” she said.
The council’s renewed campaign comes as Tanzania continues efforts to improve child nutrition by strengthening awareness at household and community levels, particularly on infant and young child feeding practices.
For Busokelo, officials say the focus now is not only on ensuring families have food, but also on helping parents turn available foods into nutritious diets that support children’s growth and development.
