SUN en-net discussion

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A recent question asked was: What are good examples of where multi-sector platforms (MSPs) for SUN have been successfully established at province or county level? What actors have been involved in these platforms? Do these platforms replicate the MSP at the national level or are they quite different?

Experience was shared from Zambia and Nepal.

Zambia

Zambia has a multi-sector national programme of High Impact Nutrition Interventions (HINI) and nutrition-sensitive actions (the Maternal & Child Development programme (MCDP)). Representation comes from the five key line ministries: health, agriculture, local government, community development and education, as well as civil society. The Zambian National Food and Nutrition Council (NFNC) has established co-ordination committees at provincial, district and ward level in target areas.

Committee meetings are typically chaired by the District Authorising Officer within the District Commissioner’s Office and each district has an NFNC staff member to support the MCDP, as well as a District Nutrition Officer/focal point. Sometimes the district may be further supported by an NGO that acts as grant manager/coordinator.

The establishment of these committees is a very large undertaking requiring significant preparation, advocacy, awareness-raising and communication; however, their potential is also very great.

Nepal

In Nepal, with the launch of the Multi-Sector Nutrition Plan (MSNP) in 2012, a multi-sector coordination architecture was established at national, regional, district, municipal and village levels. This includes:

• The High Level Nutrition and Food Security Steering Committee (HLNFSSC), hosted by the National Planning Commission (NPC), spearheads multi-sector coordination and policy guidance.

• The Regional Nutrition and Food Security Coordination Committee coordinates the regional structures of the sectors and stakeholders/partners.

• In addition, there is the National Nutrition and Food Security Coordination Committee, chaired by the head of the NPC.

• Similar multi-sector coordination committees on nutrition exist at district, municipality and village levels.

• A National Nutrition and Food Security Secretariat has been established at the NPC Secretariat to provide administrative and technical support to the HLNFSSC and the NPC and to facilitate multi-sector, multi-stakeholder coordination of MSNP activities.

At the sub-national level, steering committees have been formed at the level of District Development Committee (DDC), municipality and Village Development Committees (VDCs). These have specified Terms of References focusing on coordination, guidance and oversight functions at their respective levels. The district-level management structures are overseen by a Nutrition and Food Security Steering Committee, which is being combined with the existing food security committees present in all districts.

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