ADDIS ABABA – November 23, 2023 (FSNRD/EPHI) - Food Science and Nutrition Research Directorate (FSNRD) of the Ethiopian Public Health Institute (EPHI) conducted here last Wednesday a half-day review meeting on the execution of the quarterly annual plan of 2023/24 - 2016 Ethiopian Fiscal Year (EFY).
Opening the half-day meeting, FSNRD Director, Masresha Tessema (Dr.) said that the review meeting was called to appraise and discuss the progress of performances accomplished over the past three months. The workers serving under the Directorate reviewed the progress of the activities of the first quarter of the EFY. Masresha also said that special focus would be given to flagship projects, including others that have been delayed due to various reasons.
The five teams under the Directorate presented their respective activities that have been executed as per the set plans over the past three months.
Many of the team leaders indicated in their report that encouraging progress have been made to carry out activities pursuant to the performance plans. However, many urged that more collaboration and diligence are needed for better achievement.
Disseminating research findings to the general public, like, the fortification of salt with iodine, conducting capacity building training, seminars, workshops, cascading projects at the regional level, producing a newsletter, and developing a recipe book, were among the major achievements as reflected in the course of the discussion…
Questions, suggestions, and comments were forwarded regarding the performance reports presented by the team leaders. Following this, heated discussions were held among the workers.
FSNRD Director, Masresha Tessema, said that special emphasis should be given to some flagship projects like the NIPN’s plan to become Regional Hub of the Global NIPN, releasing the Food Composition Table, the issue of the Center of Excellence… Masresha further said that all teams and the entire workforce should work hand in glove to speed up the better execution of projects. These include: laboratory accreditation issue; finding a solution to the electric power outage; raising awareness (providing communication section of NIPN with major research findings so that items can be reproduced and released on the web page…), reviewing the GATS’s proposal in such a way to avoid the risk of a price hike due to inflation; NIPN’s initiative to become an African Hub; finalizing and releasing the Food Composition Table as soon as possible, giving due attention to the issue of the Center of Excellence; and disseminating the research outcomes to the public....
Challenges raised on the occasion were: prolonged procurement process, electric power shading, delay in recruitment process, high staff turnover, lack of sufficient field vehicles, and delay in financial reconciliation, among others…
The five case teams under FSNRD are: Food Science and Technology Research, Nutrition and Dietetics Research, Food Science and Nutrition Laboratory, Environment Health Research, and Food Safety Research.
Over 65 employees serving under FSNRD/EPHI were in attendance at the half-day Performance Plan Review Meeting held in the conference room of the National Training Center of EPHI. (FSNRD/EPHI)
