By: Nur Syamila Kamarul Arefin
Photo by: Md Nasir Hussin
SERDANG, April 11 - Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) has signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) with Nestle Malaysia to collaborate in the PUTRA Community Nutrition Ambassador Programme (PUTRACNAP) today.
The programme aimed to reduce the nutrition gap faced by the community and educate 100 mothers of primary school students from among the residents of the People’s Housing Project (PPR) to become nutrition ambassadors.
UPM Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Student Affairs and Alumni), Prof. Dr. Arifin Abdu, said PUTRACNAP is in line with the 3rd goal of the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the National Plan of Action for Nutrition of Malaysia (NPANM) III.
“PUTRACNAP is the first programme based on research targeting families and communities living in PPR households around Kuala Lumpur," he said.
He added that the programme focused on developing a healthy and sustainable community, especially among the low-income group, through food empowerment and the “farm-to-table” concept.
PUTRACNAP is a community nutrition programme that will run for a year to empower Malaysians to adopt a healthier lifestyle.
Nestle Malaysia Executive Director of Corporate Affairs, Dato’ Adnan Pawanteh, said nutrition plays an important role in building a healthier, happier community.
"We intend to address this issue through the collaboration with UPM by means of PUTRACNAP and share nutrition knowledge with mothers who are the pillars of the community and to be nutrition ambassadors,” he said.
PUTRACNAP is a community-based programme that has three phases. Phase One sets to start in May 2022. It involves the registration of eligible participants as well as the implementation of the Nutrition and Health Awareness Campaign.
In Phase Two, the participants will attend the PUTRA Community Nutrition Ambassador workshop for training in nutrition. In Phase Three, the nutrition ambassadors will apply the knowledge learnt in the Community Nutrition and Health programme. – UPM.
