EUROPE/ITALY - Combating child malnutrition: FAO summit on food security likely to fail if governments continue spending little

Rome (Agenzia Fides) – Funds from wealthy countries towards combating malnutrition has remained unchanged for seven years, according to the report, "Malnutrition: what has been spent? - An analysis of financial flows to support the fight against malnutrition between 2004 and 2007” presented in Rome by Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF). The funds are equivalent to only 3% of what would be needed to ensure that each year between 3.5-5 million children under five die from causes related to malnutrition. The report, presented on the eve of the World Summit on Food Security to be held in Rome, examines how funds are lacking in the global effort to prevent child malnutrition, which weakens the defense of children and increases the risk of death from pneumonia, diarrhea, malaria, measles or AIDS.
Rich countries spend only $350 million a year, while the World Bank estimates a needed annual expenditure of 12.5 billion dollars to properly fight malnutrition in 36 countries seriously affected and in 32 countries with high prevalence. MSF has used data from the OECD (Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development), the European Commission, the Gates Foundation and UNITAID to analyze the flow of funding for major donors. Although billions of dollars of international assistance are classified as "food aid for development and food security" or "emergency food aid,” less than 2% is actually spent on interventions aimed specifically at reducing child malnutrition.
In addition, the report of MSF, the existing funds are wasted through inefficient practices, such as the policy of the United States government to send food aid in kind, and that increases the cost of $ 600 million compared to a policy of buying support food on site. The report's authors also pointed out that governments can improve food aid by introducing foods that are more expensive but more suitable from a nutritional point of view to the needs of younger children, and later funding them. (AP) (Agenzia Fides 12/11/2009)