Abstract

Childhood stunting is among the substantial obstacles to human development, affecting approximately 162 million children under the age of 5 globally. In Tanzania, approximately 34.8% of children below five years were stunted in 2015. Despite Njombe being a high food-producing region, it has the highest stunting rate (54%), exceeding 40%, considered very high by WHO. The study aimed to explain the specific drivers of stunting in the Njombe region to inform nutrition stakeholders and partners and formulate specific interventions. The study employed a mixed-methods approach by re-analyzing the 2015 Tanzania Demographic and Health Survey data and collecting primary qualitative data in three districts of the Njombe region. In-depth interviews were conducted with 31 regional and district implementers, and 22 Focus group discussions were done with parents of children aged