Acting Australian High Commissioner Jurek Juszczyk has says the Australian Government is committed to support training in improved research techniques to better inform responses to malnutrition in Pakistan

Australia has committed AUD 300,000 to build the capacity of the Scaling Up Nutrition Academia and Research (SUNAR) Pakistan Network through a series of workshops on research methods and techniques.  The workshops will aim to assist SUNAR members and young academics to conduct high quality research and to secure grants for innovative research projects in the field of nutrition.

Acting High Commissioner Juszczyk said Australia was pleased to support the efforts of SUNAR and the Government of Pakistan in addressing malnutrition which remains a critical challenge for Pakistan.

“The workshops will train 125 young researchers and academics in Islamabad, Lahore and Karachi in advanced research skills which will assist them to contribute to policy development and implementation for improved nutritional outcomes,” Mr Juszczyk said in a statement on Wednesday.

Chief Nutrition Planning Commission, Aslam Shaheen said SUNAR Pakistan was an indigenous effort of the Government of Pakistan with the support of Nutrition International and the Australian Government that aims to organize and utilize the expertise of academia and researchers for scaling up nutrition in the country.

Highlighting the importance of training workshops, he said that “increased capacities of research institutions will be helpful in generating knowledgebase and evidence for effective planning and implementation of Nutrition and Food Security Interventions at national and provincial levels.”