CAPACITY DEVELOPMENT IN NUTRITION IN CENTRAL AND EASTERN EUROPE: RESULTS AND EXPERIENCES

Presenter : Mirjana GurinovićCentre of Research Excellence in Nutrition and Metabolism

Institute for Medical Research, University of Belgrade, Serbia

www.agrowebcee.net/ncdn/

• Regional SCN networks already existed in Asia, Latin America, the Middle East and Southern Africa

• SCN, UNU and IUNS established a SCN WG on CD in nutrition and related issues in 2001

• Thus CEE is the newest network facilitated by the UNU Food and Nutrition Programme, through SCN

• Kick-off meeting for a capacity development initiative in nutrition in CEE, 19 May 2005 FAO-SEUR office, Budapest

• The inaugural meeting took place in Budapest on the 13-14 February 2006, at the FAO SEUR Office

• Purpose: to initiate and support CD activities in developing research and training in public nutrition based on country specific needs in CEE countries working towards the enhancement of individual, institutional and organizational capacity in food and nutrition.

The establishment and purpose of the Network for Capacity Development in Nutrition in Central and Eastern Europe-NCDNCEE

Kick-off meeting for a capacity development initiative in nutrition in Central and Eastern

Europe, 19 May 2005 FAO-SEUR office, Budapest, Hungary

5th Meeting of the NCDNCEE 11-12 November 2009, Belgrade, Serbia

6th Meeting of the NCDNCEE, 25-26 May 2011, Belgrade , Serbia

4th Meeting of the NCDNCEE 10-12 November 2008, Belgrade, Serbia

NCDNCEE and link to EC Projects

EuroFIR-European Food Information Resource Network (NoE) FP6 www.eurofir.net

EURRECCA- Harmonising nutrient recommendations across Europe with special focus on vulnerable groups and consumer understanding (NoE) FP6 www.eurreca.org

DIETS – Dieticians Improving Education Training Standards across Europe, Thematic Network for Dieticians in Europe, Socrates Erasmus fund http://www.thematicnetworkdietetics.eu

EuroFIR –Nexus-EuroFIR Food Platform: further integration, refinement and exploitation for its long-term self-sustainability FP7 www.eurofir.org

Example of activities and topics in CD of CEE 2006-2011

• NCDNCEE meetings were arranged for identifying specific challenges in CD and training needs• Framework for the Network – develop based in inspiration and work by participants• WHO Growth standards and its use • Human Rights to Adequate Food and World Food Day activities• Collaboration in Food Composition Data Base (FCDB) inventory for FCDB status and follow up on

training needs • CD Training in production and use of FCDB in Nutrition (EuroFIR)• WHO European Action Plan for Food and Nutrition Policy• Evidence-based nutrition -From Requirements to Recommendations and Policies (EURRECA)• CD on identification of nutrition data from Grey literature in CEE• Collection and use of nutritional grey literature; Micronutrient inadequacy assesment in CEE from

grey literature and micronutrient recomendations collection (EURRECA)• Langual - Food indexing training in Food composition creation (EuroFIR)• Assessment of current situation in higher nutrition education and training needs in the CEE countries• Media communication Training• How to write proposals for the EC projects • Nutritional tools presentation and usage• Development of regional FCDB Balkan platform -NCDNCEE in collaboration with EuroFIR-Nexus

project

Summary of some of the CEE Network activities

• Network meetings: 7; total 158 participants• Workshops/trainings/courses: 15 in total • 5 organized by NCDNCEE/IMR• International congress and conferences: 10• Other meetings: 10• Invited lectures : 6• Power Point presentations/oral lectures: 102• Posters: 26• Papers: 4

• Website: http://www.agrowebcee.net/ncdn/• Video film: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OGAaVs3po-c

Publications in JournalsGurinović M, et all.(2010). Capacity development in food composition database management and nutritional research and education in Central and Easter European, Middle Eastern and North African countries. EJCN 64, S134-S138.

Pavlovic M, et all.(2009). Turning dilemmas into opportunities: a UNU/SCN capacity development network in public nutrition in Central and Eastern Europe. Public Health Nutrition: 12(8), 1046-1051.

Pavlovic M, et all. (2009). Training and capacity building in central and eastern Europe through the EuroFIR and CEE networks. Food Chemistry 113 (8):846-850.

Glibetic M, et all. (2010). Management of food composition database harmonized with EuroFIR criteria using a web application. Journal of Food Composition and Analysis.

Conclusions

Nutritional trainings, exchange of information and cooperation with other networks, UN, universities are excellent opportunities for CD

The network was a source to new scientific knowledge in nutrition, a tool to foster regional involvement and identify needs and opportunities in regional CD

Further attention should be given to such activities, as well as to funding initiatives from other sources