By Deogratias Mmana:
The ministries of Justice and Health have been pushing the blame to each other for the delay to enact the Food and Nutrition Bill, which has dragged on for 21 years.
According to the Right to Food Coalition, the drafting of the bill started in 2003.
The Ministry of Health, through the Department of Nutrition, finalised the document in 2020 and referred it to the Ministry of Justice for reviewing.
Coalition chairperson Alfred Kambwiri said the two ministries have been pushing the blame to each other and that the current position of the bill is not clear.
“Our expectation is that the government will prioritise the finalisation and enactment of the bill. We are lobbying for the enactment of this bill. We also supported the initial review process with project funding from the Flanders, among other donors,” Kambwiri said.
He said passing the Food and Nutrition Bill into law was key to the realisation of the right to food in Malawi and addressing food security challenges and improving nutrition levels.
“The Food and Nutrition Bill continues to sound strange to the majority [of people] in the country; ironically so because, ideally, it ought to have been topping the list of public sector reforms. The significance of access to food and, by extension, good nutrition, can never be overemphasised,” Kambwiri said.
He said despite having comprehensive policies and strategies such as the National Agriculture Policy, the National Multisector Nutrition Policy, the Food Security Policy and the National Resilience Strategy governing the country’s food systems and defining the political priorities to end hunger and nutrition insecurity, the policy instruments are not effectively implemented due to low stakeholder awareness of the policies, low public investment and lack of demonstrable political will, rendering them ineffective in transforming the food and nutrition security situation.
When contacted, Ministry of Justice spokesperson Frank Namangale said the Ministry of Health was better placed to comment on the status of the bill.
“We wish to inform you that the Ministry of Health holds the primary responsibility for this bill. The Ministry of Justice acts upon their instructions.
“Consequently, the Ministry of Health is best positioned to provide you with the most accurate and up-to-date information concerning its progress and any factors contributing to its delay,” Namangale said.
But Ministry of Health spokesperson Adrian Chikumbe said the bill was with the Ministry of Justice.
“[The] Ministry of Health, through the Department of Nutrition, technically finalised the document in 2020 and referred it to the Ministry of Justice, who are reviewing it before they could advise us on the next steps,” he said.
So the question is: Where is the bill?
Project coordinator for Strengthening Rural Governance for the Right to Food under Civil Society Agriculture Network (Cisanet) Maziko Nkhulembe said the two ministries have been pushing the blame to each other.
“It has been like that ever since,” he said.
The bill aims to enhance food production, diversify agriculture and ensure equitable access to food, thereby reducing cases of food insecurity.
The bill says increased focus on nutritional interventions, including improved infant and young child feeding practices, would contribute to better health outcomes and reduce the prevalence of malnutrition in Malawi.
The bill promotes the inclusion of marginalised groups, ensuring their voices are heard in decision-making processes related to food and nutrition.
It also strengthens accountability mechanisms by establishing institutions responsible for monitoring and evaluating progress.
