04/09/2026
Growing more food is not enough if children still cannot access the nutritious diets they need.
At , UNICEF Rwanda Chief of Health and Nutrition, Samson Desie, joined government, UN and private-sector partners to discuss how Rwanda’s agricultural progress can translate into better nutrition for children, adolescents and women.
In Rwanda, 27 per cent of children under five are stunted and 37 per cent are anaemic. Food-system transformation must therefore be measured not only by how much food is produced or its contribution to economic growth, but by whether every family can access and afford safe, nutritious and diverse foods—particularly during a child’s first 1,000 days.
UNICEF calls for stronger coordination across agriculture, health, education and the private sector; greater investment in locally produced, nutrient-dense foods; and policies that reward nutrition outcomes, not production volumes alone.
Governments, businesses, investors and development partners must place children’s right to nutritious food at the centre of every food-system policy and investment, with deliberate action to reach the most disadvantaged families.
Every child must have access to the food they need to survive, grow and thrive.
