Focus on Nutrition Needs of Rural Kids in Poverty Regions

March 14^th, 2008

       Concerning about people is an important topic of the Two Conferences, and the education in rural areas is a highly concerned point. Based on the nutrition needs of rural kids, Mr. Feng Ping[1] submitted a motion during the two conferences.

       At the of 2007, the total absolute poverty and low income population in rural area of China is 43.2 million, which include 5.5 million children, and the problem of malnutrition cannot be solved by people who live in poverty region themselves. According to the motion by Feng Ping, the physical quality of Chinese youth got decreased during recent twenty years[2]. According to the 2004 report by UNICEF, the anemia rate of youth in 40 counties of the western 5 provinces in China is 32.5%, and it is much higher than the national rate of china which is 14%. Furthermore, the malnutrition rate of middle school and elementary school student in the poverty rural areas of western provinces is between 30% to 35%, and it is a serious problem that negatively baffles improvement of physical quality of student.

       Mr. Feng Ping suggests that Chinese government should adjust the standard of poverty subsidy. It should at least satisfy the basic nutrition need of people, and it should satisfy the basic micronutrient need of people, which is ￥10/year/person. Furthermore, he think that the chronic and other regional diseases which caused by malnutrition will be reduced, and the congenital disability, invalidism will be totally stopped after adjustment.

      Mr. Feng Ping also said that in order to guarantee the basic nutrition need of people who live with poverty, the poverty subsidy should be sent out as directly as fortified food, and poverty subsidy food should not be exchanged in the market.

Mr. Feng Ping emphasizes that China should promote nutrition meal in schools, and it should be administrated by education department to guarantee the basic nutrition need of students in elementary and middle schools. Companies should supply food by the requirement of nutrition directive. Government also should provide subsidies to poverty regions. In order to ensure the effective use of the fund, experimental nutrition meal program should be launched in lodging middle and elementary schools in poverty regions. After that, experiences should be concluded, and the program should be promoted in the national level.
　

Reference

Wang, XiaoXuan China Food News Paper

Text Translation by: Liu, SiHong