Development organisation Concern Worldwide and the Kerry Group have launched a project to prevent stunting and child death from malnutrition in Zambia.
Stunting, which is more than hampered growth, can cause irreversible brain damage and it is estimated that 45% of pre-school children in Zambia are stunted because of chronic malnutrition.
The Realigning Agriculture to Improve Nutrition (RAIN) project will see the Kerry Group contribute €1.25m of the overall €3.7m cost of the five-year initiative.
The objective is aimed at reducing the prevalence of chronic malnutrition among pregnant women and children under two in the Mumbwa district of Western Zambia.
RAIN will combine agriculture with early nutrition interventions to tackle what is described as a "massive humanitarian issue."
A third group, the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) will conduct an impact evaluation and assessment of the project.
It is intended that the RAIN model will be scaled up and replicated in other parts of Zambia and in other countries where Concern is working.
