By Ochiaka Ugwu
The need to address malnutrition in our nation is a commitment to all, the Honourable Minister of Budget and National Planning, Alh. Atiku Bagudu has said.
Bagudu who made this known Wednesday during the project launch of Catalyzing Strengthened Policy Action for Healthy Diets and Resilience (CASCADE) in Abuja implemented by CARE and Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN) with funding from Netherlands Foreign Ministry said nutrition issues had attracted investment from various corners of the globe.
Bagudu represented by a Ministry’s senior official said that it had been the government interest both past and present to significantly drive efforts and investment in addressing acute malnutrition.
H said the diverse drivers of malnutrition highlights the need for multisectoral action and coordination and must be addressed strategically by bringing stakeholders together to work towards a shared mandate and goal of reducing the alarming rates of malnutrition, that not only threaten the health of children but their future.
He stated that Federal Government values the importance of multisectoral approaches for system strengthening to sustain nutrition improvement, by strengthening the capacities of government actors, increasing their accountability and responsiveness to implement existing national food and nutrition-related policies.
He noted that with the leadership of the Government’s different departments and joint efforts from the development partners, private sector, civil societies, UN, and Donors, Nigeria will be able to overcome the current state of food insecurity, reach out the 2030 agenda, the SDG nutrition target as well as commitments in scaling up nutrition.
Also speaking, National Program Manager of Renewed Hope Home Grown School Feeding and End Hunger Program, Engr Mrs. Anjor Obande, who represented Minister for Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation (FMHAPA), Dr Betta Edu, said the launch marked a significant milestone in the collective journey towards building a healthier and more nourished Nigeria.
She assured that the RH-NHGSFP will do everything possible to support the actualization of the goals and objectives of the project.
Earlier in his own address, CARE Country Director, Hussaini Abdu said, “with the launch of this project, about 1.1m children malnourished in Nigeria will be handled and be out of malnutrition, but added “what we want to put out there is a system, an approach that will be sustained because ultimately we don’t want to see any malnourished child in the country. But for something that has been deeply entrenched and sometimes by certain norms and cultural practices, is not something you can end within 5years time frame but what we intend to do at the end of the day”.
Country Director of Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (gain), Michael Ojo said the project was about working with the State and Federal Government to endure that policies that have been put in place for food security and nutrition are implemented.
