IIRR Pledges Support to CALABARZON’s RPAN 2024–2028, Commits to Better Nutrition

MAKATI CITY, Philippines (5 December 2023) — The International Institute of Rural Reconstruction (IIRR) demonstrated its active involvement and renewed commitment to the CALABARZON Regional Plan of Action for Nutrition (RPAN) 2024–2028 during the two-day Program Implementation Review and Writeshop.

As a consistent member of the Regional Sub-Committee on Nutrition (RSCN), IIRR joined regional agencies in finalizing RPAN 2019–2022 accomplishments, addressing challenges, and identifying strategies for more effective implementation of the upcoming RPAN.

RPAN 2019–2022 served as the region’s strategy to address malnutrition through 11 programs and 51 projects, including nine nutrition-specific, one nutrition-sensitive, and one enabling program, with a strong focus on the First 1000 Days of Life.

Its successor, RPAN 2024–2028, aligns with the country’s Philippine Plan of Action for Nutrition (PPAN) 2023–2028, which envisions a reduction in all forms of malnutrition across all age groups by 2028.

IIRR’s commitments for the 2024–2028 cycle include building supportive mechanisms for health and nutrition programs, implementing integrated nutrition initiatives, offering technical assistance for local nutrition action plans, and conducting research on conservation and consumer preferences.

The organization also continues to emphasize economic empowerment through small livestock and livelihood support, particularly in Guinayangan, Quezon. It further promotes the conservation of indigenous fruits and biodiversity as part of its nutrition-sensitive approach.

Through capacity-building activities, provision of resources, and active community engagement, IIRR aims to deliver sustainable and impactful nutrition outcomes at the grassroots level.

Over the years, IIRR has led and implemented various nutrition-sensitive programs, including the Community Nutrition Project for the First 1000 Days (CNP-F1K), Integrated Nutrition Program for Preschoolers (INPP), and the Integrated School Nutrition Model (ISNM).

A Community member tend one of the Gulayan sa Barangay (GSB) sites in the province of Cavite, which benefits from the provision of a water harvester, nursery, garden tools, and planting materials.

The organization has also facilitated Gulayan sa Barangay, Nutrition-Sensitive Agriculture (NSA), bio-intensive gardening, school- and community-based crop museums, Nutrition-Sensitive Programming Orientation for MLGUs and CSOs, and Nutrelief: Nutrition-Sensitive Food Aid for Rural Families.

The December 2023 review and writeshop gathered representatives from DOH IV-A, DepEd IV-A, BFAR IV-A, NEDA IV-A, TESDA IV-A, BIDANI, NCIP, and IIRR to present strategies, goals, targets, investment plans, and monitoring and evaluation mechanisms for the next five years.