The Board of Directors of the African Development Fund has approved a grant of $31.2 million to the Ethiopia government to increase access to multi-sectoral nutritional services for children under-five years.

The project with a total cost of $48 million is aimed at boosting access to services for improved health, more diverse and nutritious food, and improving knowledge, attitude and practices on feeding, care and hygiene.

According to a press statement released by the AfDB, “the Multi-sectoral Approach for Stunting Reduction Project (MASReP) will target forty districts or woredas in Ethiopia’s Amhara and Tigray regions.”

The said project comprises of three components namely: climate-proofed infrastructure development for effective service delivery; livelihood support, production and promotion of nutritious foods; and strengthening institutional systems and capacity building.

Child malnutrition remains a significant development challenge in Ethiopia.

In 2015, the Ethiopian government as a commitment to end stunting in children under two by 2030 under the leadership of the national ministries signed a Sequota Declaration (SD).

The project is expected to contribute to Ethiopia’s effort to achieve the United Nations’ 2030 Sustainable Development Goal 2 to end hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition – an initiative strongly aligned with the African Development Bank’s Ten-Year Strategy 2013–2022 operational priorities seeking to ‘Feed Africa’ and ‘Improve the Quality of Life for the People of Africa’.