Abuja: Dr. Marcus Ogunbiyi, Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security (FMAFS), on Thursday inaugurated the ‘Nourish Nigeria’ project to bolster food security in Nigeria. Ogunbiyi, represented by Mr. Olanipekun Oshadiya, Director of Agricultural Land and Climate Change Management Services of the ministry, disclosed this in Abuja at a one-day workshop.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, the workshop centered on Nutrition-Sensitive Agriculture in Nigeria and was organized by the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) in collaboration with the FMAFS and the House of Representatives Committee on Nutrition and Food Security. The event also marked the inauguration of the Technical Cooperation Programme (TCP) titled: ‘Nourishing Nigeria: Integrating Nutrition-Sensitive Approaches for the Implementation of the Agriculture Sector Food Security and Nutrition Strategy (AFSNS)’.
The initiative aims to combat stunting, wasting, and low weight by fostering awareness of healthy diets, improving value chains for nutritious foods, and enabling diverse food production at household levels. These efforts align with Nigeria’s food systems transformation agenda, aiming to boost dietary diversity and sustainable food security, targeting a significant reduction in malnutrition. Ogunbiyi emphasized the complexity of the challenge and the commitment to achieving the project’s goals.
Koffy Kouacou, FAO Representative ad interim in Nigeria and ECOWAS, described the workshop as timely, given the crisis Nigeria faces in food security and nutrition. Kouacou, represented by Tofiq Braimah, Operations Officer at FAO, noted that some families have resorted to negative coping mechanisms, such as skipping meals and reducing portion sizes. The Nourishing Nigeria Technical Cooperation Programme seeks to address these challenges by embedding nutrition-sensitive approaches into agricultural planning, implementation, and policy.
Dr. Chike Okafor, Chairman of the House Committee on Nutrition and Food Security at the National Assembly, stressed the need to expand the project to advance policy implementation across the country. Okafor highlighted the importance of creating and strengthening the required policy and legal frameworks to effectively nourish Nigeria. He suggested revisiting laws on multiple taxation of food products and cultural practices that hinder optimal nutrition.
Meanwhile, Mr. Nuhu Kilishi, Director of the Nutrition and Food Security Department of the ministry, described the project as a collective dedication to incorporating nutrition-sensitive approaches into the agriculture sector food security and nutrition strategy. Kilishi, also the National Project Coordinator of Nourish Nigeria, emphasized creating an environment that supports the implementation of nutrition-sensitive agriculture practices, requiring a shift in agricultural policies and programs.
The pilot project, designed for Lagos, Ogun, Niger, and Bauchi States, seeks to promote awareness among stakeholders of the objectives and potential risks to ensure effective coordination and implementation.