Nutrition

Nutrition cluster approach

It is not just the act of eating, but a comprehensive approach covering:

• Treatment: Addressing Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM) and Moderate Acute Malnutrition (MAM) through inpatient and outpatient services (therapeutic programs).
• Prevention: Providing preventive services such as Blanket Supplementary Feeding Program (BSFP), micronutrient supplementation, and deworming.
• Maternal, Infant and Young Child Nutrition (MIYCN): Promoting proper feeding practices for children 0–23 months, as inadequate feeding is a key driver of undernutrition.
• System strengthening: Enhancing the capacity of the health system to deliver quality nutrition services, including screening, referral, and treatment.

Cluster priorities

The Nutrition Cluster in Afghanistan, in line with global standards, focuses on both the immediate causes of malnutrition (inadequate dietary intake, disease) and underlying causes (food insecurity, poor sanitation).

ACDO in nutrition

In 2023, ACDO, as a national NGO (NNGO), successfully obtained cluster membership, with the strategic objective of expanding its presence and securing projects in underserved areas where it previously had no active direct interventions but had indirect intervention. For instance, during the same period, a project funded by AHF/OCHA was implemented in five remote districts of Badakhshan Province, focusing on nutrition interventions to address urgent community needs.

This project was “Emergency cash-based support to food-insecure IPC 3 and 4 households in Badakhshan province.” ACDO covered 1127 of the most vulnerable households (HHs) in close coordination with ANDMA in the province. This project was funded by AHF/OCHA, and each selected beneficiary received 72 USD for six months in three installments, with 144 USD distributed in each distribution.

Impact

• Enhanced their food consumption score for six months.
• Reduced hunger for 1127 HHs in the targeted districts of the province.
• Enhanced their livelihood and provided a secure income source during the project lifespan.