Thyolo District Council has challenged adolescent girls to consume fortified and nutritious food to grow into healthy mothers who can have healthy children and easy pregnancies.

Speaking Friday during the nutrition open day in Traditional Authority Kapichi, Director of Community and Social Services, Fedda M’bwana, urged people in the district to diversify food uptake to enhance nutrition status and ensure healthier communities.

"Let's diversify our food to enhance nutrition and build healthier communities," M’bwana urged.

Thyolo District Principal Nutrition and HIV/AIDS Officer, Kondwani Luwe said the community needs to cultivate crops with iron and zinc, and raise livestock to fight micronutrients deficiencies in the district.

"We need to prioritize nutrition to fight deficiencies and build a healthier community. People should cultivate orange maize, potatoes and beans which are rich in nutrients like zinc and iron, among others," Luwe said.

Under the theme"Building Healthier Communities Through Food Diversification and Adolescent Inclusion," the event was supported by UNICEF, CARE, Evidence Action, and USDA.

Meanwhile, Traditional Authority Kapichi said they will encourage people to eat balanced diets so they stay healthy and support national development.