Nutrition is a multidisciplinary science that involves several disciplines that have central role in food production, food safety, food standardization and legislation, food trade, food technology and nutrition value-chains, food chemistry and analysis, nutrition resilience, health, nutrition education, awareness and research.
One of the common misconceptions in the field of nutrition is equating ‘food security’ to ‘food production’. Such misconceptions hinder the achievement of nutrition security in all its forms, since food production by itself cannot secure nutrition. Similarly, limiting nutrition to nutrition-specific approaches that merely deal with preventing hunger and preventing or treating deficiency disorders (so-called immediate causes of malnutrition) is not comprehensive. These narrow definitions limit the critical requirement of an integrated and holistic approach to achieving food security and promote optimal health. Since independence, Eritrea has had incredible achievements in the area of food security, which is a part of nutrition security however Eritrea at the moment lacks National Nutrition strategy.
Thus, for impactful nutrition intervention, Eritrea needs a targeted national strategy, and holistic and integrated approach for nutrition, which is critical for Eritrea’s future. Hence the need for a holistic and coordinated approach with a National Vision and Mission statement, and guidelines produced and directed by the country is a vital step in achieving food security in Eritrea.