Over 800 million people worldwide suffer from hunger and two billion do not meet their micro nutrient requirements (Global Nutrition Report, 2016). While the global starving population has gone down in recent decades, the number of people suffering from hunger in sub-Saharan Africa today is higher than ever. Malnutrition is particularly prevalent in developing countries, where it has an impact not only upon the development prospects of an entire country, but also of each individual affected. If a child does not receive sufficient nutrients up to its second year, i.e. over its first 1,000 days beginning with the early embryonic phase, the impact on growth, mental faculties and therefore learning and work¬ing potential will endure a lifetime.

The German Ministry of Economic Co-operation and Development (BMZ) launched an Initiative “On World – No Hunger” to improve food and nutrition security (https://www.bmz.de/webapps/hunger/index.html#/de). Within this initiative GIZ implements the program “Food and nutrition security, enhanced resilience” in 11 countries in Africa and Asia.

The project‘s main target group includes women of childbearing age, pregnant women, breastfeeding mothers and infants. The project‘s objective is to improve the nutritional situation of approximately 880000 women, 235000 young children and 4.000 households. Structural measures to combat hunger and malnutrition, particularly among mothers and young children, are one of the most effective ways of investing in the future of a society.