ISLAMABAD: The Australian government on Wednesday started a training workshop on causes of malnutrition for 125 young researchers and academics. The training will be conducted with a grant of 300,000 Australian Dollars. The agreement for the purpose was made between Scaling Up Nutrition Academia and Research (SUNAR) Pakistan Network and Australian government. On the occasion of the launch, Australian High Commissioner Jurek Juszczyk said Australian government was committed to supporting training in improved research techniques to better inform responses to malnutrition in Pakistan. The workshops will aim at assisting SUNAR members and young academics in conducting high quality research and securing grants for innovative research projects in the field of nutrition. Addressing the launch ceremony, Naseer Muhammad Nizamani, Country Director Nutrition International, stressed the need for reducing malnutrition through research-informed policy formulation, planning and implementation. He said that the key objective of the project was to build the capacity of SUNAR Pakistan members and young academics so they could conduct high quality research and secure grants for innovative research projects in the field of nutrition. Nutrition Planning Commission Chief Aslam Shaheen said that increased capacities of research institutions will be helpful in generating knowledge base and evidence for effective planning and implementation of Nutrition and Food Security Interventions at national and provincial levels. Published in Daily Times, August 17th 2017.