Nutrition (TSFP)

The Afghanistan Research, Development and Health Organization (ARDHO) implemented the Targeted Supplementary Feeding Program (TSFP) project in partnership with the World Food Programme (WFP) in Maidan Wardak province in 2023. The overall goal of the project is to reduce the incidence of mortality and morbidity related to acute malnutrition in children aged 6 to 59 months, as well as in pregnant and lactating women, by improving their nutritional status through access to targeted supplementary feeding.
Malnutrition is a major public health concern in Afghanistan. In 2023, it was estimated that two-thirds of the population are food insecure, with 55% expected to be at a crisis level. The rising cost of food, poverty, and unemployment make it increasingly difficult for Afghans to afford food and other essential goods. Nutritional problems in rural areas are largely driven by drought, flooding, and other disasters affecting crops, livelihoods, and other income sources. The nutrition cluster estimates that 27 out of 34 provinces are above the emergency threshold for acute malnutrition. One million children under five suffer from severe acute malnutrition (SAM), 2.2 million children under five from moderate acute malnutrition (MAM), and 0.7 million pregnant and lactating women (PLW) from acute malnutrition. Stunting also remains at a staggering 41% in Afghanistan.
ARDHO’s partnership with WFP aims to meet sector strategy goals by using different methodologies to address the critical needs of malnourished individuals through TSFP practices. The Targeted Supplementary Feeding Program (TSFP) provides treatment for children aged 6-59 months with moderate acute malnutrition (MAM) and for acutely malnourished pregnant and lactating women (PLW). The TSFP also admits children who have suffered from Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM) and have been discharged from Outpatient Therapeutic Programs (OTP) for follow-up to prevent relapse. Active case finding of acutely malnourished children and Pregnant and Lactating Women (PLW) is conducted at the community level. Community health workers or community mobilizers carry out active case finding, identifying and referring acutely malnourished children to the TSFP or OTP centers according to their nutritional status.
The objectives of the TSFP are:

• • To prevent morbidity and mortality associated with acute malnutrition
• • To prevent MAM cases from developing into SAM
• • To prevent the relapse of individuals who have been treated for SAM
• • To improve birth outcomes and maternal nutritional status

ARDHO follows the nationally accepted admission criteria for the TSFP program, targeting severely malnourished pregnant and lactating women and moderately malnourished children under five. ARDHO has distributed hundreds of metric tons of food commodities (Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food (RUTF) and Ready-to-Use Supplementary Food (RUSF)) to malnourished pregnant and lactating women and children under five in all districts of Maidan Wardak province through selected health facilities.