ADB supporting RI’s fighting against maltunitrition through US$50 million loan

9/5/2007

JAKARTA : The Asian Development Bank (ADB) is supporting the Indonesian government's efforts to reduce malnutrition among poor children and pregnant women to put the country on track to achieving the United Nations' Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

Improved nutrition status of women and children will directly affect the achievement of MDGs related to poverty and hunger, primary education, child mortality, maternal health, and combating HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases, ADB said in its official website on Wednesday.

ADB will provide a $50 million loan to help finance the Nutrition Improvement through Community Empowerment Project, which is estimated to cost $71.4 million. The balance will be covered by the Indonesian government. A technical assistance of $500,000 will strengthen evidence-based planning and budgeting for nutrition programs at national and local levels.

"It has long been known that malnutrition undermines economic growth and perpetuates poverty. Therefore, the project will support government efforts to reduce and prevent malnutrition in about 1.48 million children under five years and 500,000 pregnant women in about 4,000 poor rural and urban areas," said Barbara Lochmann, Social Sector Specialist of ADB's Southeast Asia Department.

"There is clear evidence that the major damage caused by malnutrition takes place in the womb and during the first two years of life; this damage is irreversible," she said. "It causes lower intelligence and reduced physical capacity, resulting in lower productivity. In addition, urbanization exacerbates the transition to sedentary lifestyles and high-fat diets, especially among the urban poor."

The project will focus on institutional development for nutrition policies, programs and surveillance; improving facility- and community-based nutrition services; strengthening community capacity to carry out nutrition, hygiene and sanitation interventions; promoting food fortification, advocacy for decision-makers and communication; and providing project management support.

This is ADB's first nutrition investment project and the government's first nutrition project after decentralization in 2001.

The project is an important investment to support Indonesia in meeting the MDGs and reduce poverty. The returns to investing in nutrition are very high, above those for controlling malaria and water and sanitation, said Lochmann.

Today 28 percent of children under five years are underweight in Indonesia, implying that about five million children under five years have compromised growth, cognitive and behavioral development.