HarvestPlus Nigeria, an initiative, has supported the Kaduna State Government (KDSG) in reviewing its policy on food and nutrition.
It works with partners to tackle hidden hunger on a global scale by breeding vitamins and minerals into everyday food crops.
The two-day review was organised by the State Planning and Budget Commission (PBC), where the state’s committee on food and nutrition is domiciled, in collaboration with HarvestPlus.
The Country Manager of HarvestPlus, Dr Yusuf Dollah, stated that with a focus on enhancing production standards, saying that iw was poised to elevate the quality and efficacy of its bio-fortified crops.
He underscored HarvestPlus’s decade-long dedication to developing bio-fortified crops tailored to address the nutritional needs of vulnerable populations.
Dollah added that crops meticulously bred to contain essential micro-nutrients and vitamins offered a sustainable solution to combating malnutrition and promoting healthy growth.
He, therefore, stressed that reviewing the state Policy on Food and Nutrition was important to HarvestPlus to ensure their bio-fortification efforts align with national policies and priorities.
He equally said it would inform their policy decisions that can scale up biofortification impact on addressing hidden hunger.
“It will help us align with the state policy on food and nutrition, so as to maximize our impact and contribute to a more comprehensive approach to addressing malnutrition and improving public health,” he added.
Earlier in an opening remark, the Commissioner of the State Planning and Budget Commission (PBC), Mr Mukthar Ahmed, thanked HarvestPlus for its unwavering dedication to championing the cause of nutrition and sustainable agriculture in the region and Kaduna in particular.
Ahmed was represented by the Director, of Development Aid Coordination of the PBC, Aisha Muhammad.
He said that robust discussions, knowledge sharing, and collective brainstorming, would pave the way for innovative solutions that will drive positive change and foster sustainable development in the state.
“I am confident that this workshop will serve as a platform for constructive dialogue, meaningful exchange of ideas, and the forging of partnership that will propel us towards
our shared goal of a healthier, more nourished future for all,” he said.
Also, the Permanent Secretary, of Kaduna State Ministry of Health, Dr Aisha Abubakar, said living things need nutrition to survive.
She mentioned some of the challenges that deprive individuals and communities of optimal nutrition.
They include government policies, climate change, inadequate food fortification and supplementation practices, poverty and food insecurity, among others.
Abubakar, therefore, said eating small in the right diet will go a long way, adding that addressing the challenges is crucial to ensure that individuals and communities can achieve optimal nutrition and overall well-being.
In a goodwill message, the State Coordinator for Civil Society Scaling Up Nutrition in Nigeria (CS-SUNN), Ms Jessica Bartholomew, said the engagement would enhance multi-sectoral plans.
She said the current economic status has affected nutrition status in Kaduna State, where the review of the policy on food and nutrition was a critical step towards addressing it.
Also, Sarah Kwasu of Alive and Thrive, and Sani Hassan of Nutrition Society of Nigeria, said a lot of things have changed, which made the review critical.
The duo commended the government for initiating the review of the State Policy on Food and Nutrition.
They added that the milestone demonstrated its commitment to addressing malnutrition and ensuring a healthier future for its citizens.
They acknowledged the progress made so far and reaffirmed their support to the government in achieving its nutrition goals.
Speaking to newsmen at the sideline of the last day of the review on Thursday, Mr Cyril Inegbedion, said biofortified crops which HarvestPlus was into were key in the fight against hidden hunger and malnutrition which is prevalent in Northern Nigeria.
Inegbedion is the Project Team Lead for the FCDO-funded scaling climate-adapted and nutritious smart crops through market systems in Northern Nigeria project in HarvestPlus.
He added that for the particular crops to gain prominence, an enabling environment is critical where they needed the government’s buy-in to infuse into its policies, the adoption, production and consumption of biofortified crops.
Speaking to newsmen on the rationale for reviewing the policy, the facilitator, Dr Zainab Muhammad-Idris, said it was to align the policy with current nutrition priorities and evidence-based practices.
She explained that the policy, which was produced in 2017 and expected to last until 2025, was deemed necessary to begin its review process to capture new issues and the relevance of what was previously captured in the document.
Muhammad-Idris, who doubles as the Project Coordinator of the Accelerating Nutrition Results in Nigeria (ANRiN) project, added that it was to strengthen policy provisions to address malnutrition in all its forms.
“It also enhances coordination and collaboration among stakeholders; improves policy implementation and monitoring and increases investment in nutrition-sensitive interventions,” she said.
She said the expected outcomes from the review would include an updated policy that reflects current nutrition priorities and evidence; improved policy coherence and coordination across sectors and enhanced stakeholder engagement and commitment.
The facilitator equally said it would strengthen the capacity for policy implementation/ monitoring and improve nutrition outcomes, particularly for vulnerable populations.
“The review is expected to result in a robust and effective policy that addresses the nutrition needs of the population, particularly vulnerable groups, and contributes to the achievement of national and global nutrition goals,” she said
Present at the review were representatives from various MDAs and development partners in Kaduna state.
NAN
