Strengthening Food and Nutrition Security (GT0122)

Summary description of the commitment

Based on Article 22 of the Law of the National Food and Nutrition Security System (SINASAN), SESAN is the institution responsible for establishing technical planning and coordination procedures between state institutions, Guatemalan society, non-governmental organizations, and international cooperation agencies related to food and nutrition security (FNS), at different levels of the country (national, departmental, municipal and community). During the period 2020 to 2024, the Government of Guatemala implemented the Great National Crusade for Nutrition (GCNN), whose objective was to improve the health and nutrition of the Guatemalan population, with emphasis on children under 5 years of age, preschool and school children, women of reproductive age, rural and indigenous population, in situations of poverty and extreme poverty. The current government has begun planning and implementing the Government of Guatemala’s Intersectoral Initiative to reduce poverty and malnutrition “Mano a Mano” during the year 2024. SINASAN’s structure includes the following entities: National Council for Food and Nutritional Security, Departmental, Municipal and Community Commission for Food and Nutritional Security, Technical Committee for Interinstitutional Liaison. In addition, they participate in the analysis and decision making, in the group of Support Institutions (GIA) and the Instance of Consultation and Social Participation (INCOPAS)

What is the problem that the compromise seeks to address?

Malnutrition is caused by an imbalance in the body, caused by excess or deficiency of nutrients necessary for growth, development, and maintenance of normal functions of people, in addition to the impact of physical activity and lifestyle. Malnutrition due to deficit in the nutritional balance results in acute, moderate, or severe malnutrition, as well as chronic malnutrition or moderate or severe growth retardation and micronutrient deficiencies (vitamins and minerals). On the other hand, overnutrition is manifested by overweight, obesity grade I, II, III and can develop Chronic Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) such as diabetes, hypertension, other cardiovascular diseases, and some types of cancer, to mention a few. According to the National Survey of Maternal and Child Health -ENSMI-, conducted in 2014-2015, the main statistics related to malnutrition are:
• 46.5% of children under five years of age have chronic malnutrition and in Latin America and the Caribbean Guatemala ranks first in the prevalence of chronic malnutrition in children under five years of age and sixth worldwide.
• The prevalence of acute malnutrition in children under five years of age is 0.7%, although the value is low, this condition increases up to 9 times the risk of childhood mortality in this age group.
• In women between 15 and 49 years of age, the prevalence of overweight is 31.9% and obesity is 20%, totaling 51.9% between both categories.
• The Double Burden of Malnutrition (DCM), which can occur in the same individual or in a family, is defined as the simultaneous manifestation of undernutrition, micronutrient deficiency, overweight and obesity. In Guatemala, the combination of overweight women and stunted children is 20.7%. Other studies, such as the 2009-2010 National Micronutrient Survey (ENMICRON), confirm the seriousness, urgency, and importance of preventing malnutrition by structurally addressing its causes:
• Deficiencies in children under five years of age: zinc (34.9%), iron (26.3%), vitamin B12 (12.9%).
• Women of reproductive age suffer the following deficiencies: iron (18.4%), erythrocyte folate (7%) and vitamin B12 (18.4%).

What causes the problem?

The conceptual framework of the causes of undernutrition in children disseminated by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) proposes three main categories:

a) Immediate causes: related to inadequate food and micronutrient intake and infectious diseases; b) Underlying causes: related to household food insecurity, which is associated with low food availability, lack of access to food and its inadequate use; c) Underlying Causes: related to political, economic and ideological structures in society that regulate access to resources, education and opportunities and ultimately determine household poverty.
Also, the National Food and Nutritional Security Policy (POLSAN) updated for 2022-2037, establishes the tree of problems of the population in Food and Nutritional Insecurity (InSAN), which was refined from the perspective of the Management by Results (MfR) methodology during the process of formulating the Strategic Plan for Food and Nutritional Security (PESAN) 2022-2032, which establishes five direct causes for the InSAN: 1) Insufficient food availability; 2) Limited physical access to fresh, varied and nutritious food; 3) Limited purchasing power to buy fresh, varied and nutritious food; 4) Inadequate food intake; and 5) Poor health status including diseases and infections (acute and chronic).

What has been done so far to solve the problem?
In recent years, from the political, legal, financial, and technical points of view, the institutional framework of SAN in Guatemala has been consolidated, which has allowed the creation of new institutions, stable policies, increased the budget, improved the articulation between ministries, opened spaces for monitoring and social participation and implemented new instruments for transparency and accountability. However, because chronic malnutrition is a complex and multi-causal problem, there has been little progress in reducing its prevalence in children under five. In addition, since 2015, another National Survey of Maternal and Child Health -ENSMI- has not been conducted to have updated data. It is currently planning the Government of Guatemala’s Intersectoral initiative to reduce poverty and malnutrition by launching the “Mano a Mano” Initiative in 2024.

What is the proposed solution?

Facilitate access to information generated by SESAN staff, so that users can analyze information related to SAN. On the other hand, the implementation of the “Mano a Mano” Initiative seeks to transform the structural causes of poverty and malnutrition in the country, from a perspective of community and integral approach of the executing institutions.

Which outcomes do we want to achieve with this commitment?

Through the publication of open data, the user is expected to participate in the analysis of SAN’s actions. This is part of the accountability and transparency processes. The “Mano a Mano” Initiative seeks to reduce multidimensional poverty and malnutrition. In this framework, SESAN will promote the appropriate governance of the initiative, as well as guidance on planning, monitoring, and evaluation of the initiative.

How will transparency be promoted within the commitment?

Through the publication of open data related to the different activities carried out by SESAN personnel, on the web site of the National Food and Nutrition Security Information System (SIINSAN), so they can be analyzed by users

How will the commitment help promote accountability?

Through the publication of open data on the SIINSAN web page.

How will the commitment enhance citizen participation in defining, implementing, and monitoring solutions?

It is expected that with access to open data generated by SESAN staff, citizens will participate in monitoring actions and propose solutions related to FSN.

Milestone 1 Follow-up of the publication of open data in SIINSAN, coordinated by the Open Data Committee of SIINSAN.
Milestone 2 Promote participation in the Interinstitutional Liaison Technical Committee of Civil Society, through the Instance for Consultation and Social Participation -INCOPAS- (titular and alternate)
Milestone 3 Establish training processes using information and communication technologies in a virtual, synchronous, asynchronous, hybrid and face-to-face manner, within the framework of food and nutrition security governance.
Milestone 4 Strengthen the Departmental Delegations through the hiring of personnel in the municipalities prioritized for the “Mano a Mano” Initiative, to expand coverage and improve the quality of the articulation of Food and Nutritional Security actions.
Milestone 5 Promote the local interinstitutional and intersectoral planning process, reinforcing the priorities of the Municipal Governments, Development Councils, community leaders and ancestral authorities, as well as local and community follow-up of the initiative
Milestone 6 Strengthen the technical capacities of members of CODESAN and COMUSAN, in the context of the “Mano a Mano” initiative.