From Femi Oyelola, Kaduna
Nutrition Experts from the Civil Society Scaling Up Nutrition in Nigeria (CS-SUNN), and the Nutrition Society of Nigeria (NSA), have disclosed that at least 40 million people in Nigeria daily go to bed hungry as a result of the astronomical price of food items.
The President of NSA, Professor Wasiu Afolabi dropped this hint yesterday at a media roundtable organized in collaboration with the CS-SUNN, on Emergency on Food and Nutrition Situation in the Country.
Afolabi stated that the said 40 million Nigerians, who may not have food to eat in a day could also be attributed to inadequate funding and investment in nutrition, due to a lack of political will.
The nutrition expert stated that the Nigerian Nutrition Indicator also shows that 79% of households in Nigeria are hungry.
Afolabi called for more advocacy to appeal to the conscience of policymakers on the importance of nutrition for Nigerians, particularly children, and mothers.
According to him, most of our women are already folic acid deficient, making it expedient to invest in all non nutrition sectors to get 89% of results.
He emphasized that if the next generation of Nigerians is left hungry, then the hungry children will become like parasites and will become a problem for the country shortly.
He equally called on the Federal Government to create nutrition departments in all government parastatals, Ministries Departments and Agencies, MDAs,
Also, he stressed the need to address the issue of nutrition multisectoral to ensure that all the various sectors can meet their mandates and address their nutrition issues.
He said, ” The agriculture sector to look at the rising cost of food in the country, particularly as it affects low-income earners, affects women and children and the elder who are the most vulnerable.”
Afolabi however called on the agricultural sector to produce foods with nutritional implications with micronutrients to make people healthy.
“The issue is, are we meeting our micronutrient intake, micronutrients are not for us to be seen, they are big things that come in small packs, he explained.
On his part, the Executive Secretary of CS-SUNN, Mr. Sunday Okoronkwo emphasized that nutrition is the cornerstone of the health and development of the nation, as it is equally fundamental to the growth and development of children, adolescents, and ultimately adults.
He said: “Nutrition is linked to improved infant, child, and maternal health, stronger immune systems, safer pregnancies and childbirth, lower risk of non-communicable diseases such as diabetes and cardiovascular diseases, and increased longevity.
“Food insecurity and malnutrition remain the major concern in Nigeria, as he disclosed that currently 26.5 million Nigerians are projected to be food insecure in 2024.”
Okoronkwo also disclosed that the 2024 March Cadre Harmonisé (CH) analysis, revealed that an estimated 4.8 million people are at risk of severe hunger during this year’s lean season in the Borno, Adamawa, and Yobe States which are the worst hit.
It was gathered that out of the 36 states in the country, only seven states namely, Osun, Ebonyi, Kogi, Bayelsa, Zamfara, and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) already have nutrition departments.
