Tanzania has reduced child stunting rates from 50 percent three decades ago to 30 percent today, but the figure remains above the global average of 23 percent
Dar es Salaam. Tanzania’s economy is losing an estimated Sh3.47 trillion ($1.3 billion) every year due to the effects of child undernutrition, according to a new study.
The figure, equivalent to two percent of the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP), reflects increased healthcare costs, strain on education, and reduced workforce productivity.
The findings, presented yesterday in Dar es Salaam under the Cost of Hunger in Africa (COHA) study, were released as the country hosts the 12th Tanzania Health Summit, which runs from October 1 to 3.
According to the World Food Programme (WFP), Tanzania has reduced child stunting rates from 50 percent three decades ago to 30 percent today, though the figure remains above the global average of 23 percent. In 2022, nearly 2.8 million children under five were stunted and over 1.1 million were underweight, most between 12 and 23 months.
The analysis estimates that Tanzania could save up to Sh4.2 trillion annually if stunting fell to 15 percent by 2030. Grade repetitions linked to malnutrition alone cost the country Sh125.2 billion in 2022.
Children suffering from stunting are more than twice as likely to repeat a school grade compared to well-nourished peers. With this launch, Tanzania becomes the 26th African country to join regional efforts to address child undernutrition.
Previous COHA studies in 25 other African nations found GDP losses of between 1.9 and 16.5 percent.
Director General of the Tanzania Food and Nutrition Centre (TFNC), Dr Germana Henry Leyna, said the study ensures nutrition remains a policy priority. “The COHA analysis bridges a gap by quantifying the impact of malnutrition and translating it into monetary terms,” she said.
Sanku chief executive Felix Brooks-Church pointed to weak mandates, inadequate laboratories, counterfeit premixes, and poor market monitoring as major obstacles.
“If Tanzania is to succeed in eliminating malnutrition, it must ensure laws and regulations are properly implemented,” he said. From January 2026, producers and sellers of maize flour, wheat flour, salt, and cooking oil will be required to fortify their products.
Nutrition Officer from the Ministry of Health, Peter Kaja, said regulations were gazetted last year and enforcement will begin next year.
Mr Kaja said this at the 12th Tanzania Health Summit (THS) which has brought 2,500 local and foreign experts from 25 countries including Tanzania.
“Those who produce or sell unfortified products will not be allowed to operate. Extension officers will be deployed nationwide to inspect shops, and those found with unfortified products will be held accountable,” he said.
The study was led by the Government of Tanzania, covering both Mainland and Zanzibar, in collaboration with WFP, the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), TFNC, the Office of the Chief Government Statistician Zanzibar (OCGS), UNICEF, the African Union Commission (AUC), AUDA-NEPAD, and the UN Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC).
WFP said it will continue to support national efforts through school feeding and nutrition programmes that help children stay in school, perform better, and reach their potential.
Experts warn that without urgent action, Tanzania will continue to bear both the human and economic burden of malnutrition for generations.
