The Kaduna State Government, with support from the NGO HarvestPlus, has validated the state’s Revised Policy on Food and Nutrition (2023-2030).
The policy was validated at a two-day workshop which commenced on Sunday in Abuja to refine and finalize the document. They agreed that the policy would address the scourge of malnutrition and enhance nutrition consciousness in the state.
During Monday’s session, the state’s Commissioner for Planning and Budget, Mr. Mukhtar Ahmed, said the validation aims to increase stakeholders’ participation in developing the policy.
Ahmed, represented by the Chairman of the state’s Committee on Food and Nutrition, Bashir Muhammed, stated that political appointees present at the workshop would ensure that the recommendations and resolutions were communicated to higher authorities.
The commissioner urged the Ministry of Local Government Affairs to disseminate the policy to the 23 local government areas of the state.
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“The validated policy will prioritize the most vulnerable populations, including pregnant women, children under five, and adolescents, and focuses on improving access to nutritious food. It will also promote sustainable agricultural practices and strengthen nutrition education and awareness.
“With this policy, Kaduna State is poised to make significant strides in reducing malnutrition and improving the overall health and wellbeing of its citizens,” Ahmed said.
Dr. Aisha Abubakar, the Permanent Secretary of the Kaduna State Ministry of Health, highlighted the critical link between nutrition and healthcare. She stated that a well-nourished population is a healthy population, and that the policy would help achieve that goal.
Abubakar also noted some cultural factors, explaining that dietary habits affect nutritional indices in Northern Nigeria. She called on all stakeholders to be change agents and behavioral activists in pushing the right information on nutrition to the people.
The Permanent Secretary of the Kaduna State Ministry of Agriculture, Mr. Abubakar Abba, underscored the importance of agricultural sector development in achieving food and nutrition security.
Abba stressed the ministry’s efforts in promoting irrigation farming, improving seed quality, and enhancing farmers’ capacity to ensure food production, availability, and reduction of malnutrition in the state.
In his remarks, HarvestPlus’s Policy Advisor, Dr. Fakunle Aremu, said the workshop aimed to validate the policy document to ensure effectiveness in addressing the region’s food security and nutrition challenges. Aremu commended the state government for its commitment to addressing malnutrition through the validation of the policy.
He also emphasized the importance of a multi-sectoral approach to tackling malnutrition. Aremu called for sustained efforts in promoting bio-fortified crops, improving access to nutritious food, and enhancing nutrition education.
He pledged HarvestPlus’s support in implementing the policy while urging stakeholders to work together to ensure its successful implementation.
Other stakeholders, including representatives from Civil Society Scaling Up Nutrition in Nigeria (CS-SUNN), UNICEF, and Alive and Thrive, pledged their commitment and support in the policy’s implementation process.
The facilitators, Dr. Zainab Muhammad-Idris and Ms. Jessica Bartholomew, presented an overview of key developments and emerging issues in food and nutrition in the state and Nigeria.
They highlighted Nigeria’s poor maternal and child nutritional indicators, noting that 37 percent of children under five years are stunted and 11 percent of women are undernourished.
Regionally, the North-West has the highest proportion of children who are stunted (55 percent), followed by the North-East (42 percent) and North Central (29 percent).
Comparing nutrition indicators for children under five years in Kaduna State between 2008 and 2018, the facilitators noted that 48.1 percent were stunted, 4.8 percent were wasting, 22.1 percent were underweight, 1.9 percent were obese among children and adolescents (5-19 years), and 3.5 percent were obese among women of reproductive age.
The facilitators recommended an improved nutrition policy landscape, community engagement to ensure local ownership and involvement, and future directions where the food and nutrition policy defines long-term goals and visions.
