The CASCADE (Catalysing Strengthened Policy for Healthy Diets and Resilience) Project has established nutrition corners and gardens in Primary Healthcare Centres (PHCs) across five Local Government Areas (LGAs) of Jigawa State.
The Project’s Health and Nutrition Technical Officer, Gara Alheri, disclosed this on Tuesday shortly after facilitating a cooking demonstration for selected women at Harbo Tsohuwa PHC in Jahun LGA.
CASCADE is jointly implemented in Nigeria by CARE International and the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN).
Alheri explained that the initiative seeks to improve the nutritional intake of women of reproductive age and children under 15, with a particular focus on practical cooking skills to combat malnutrition.
“The major idea behind this initiative is to teach women how to prepare nutritious meals with ingredients available in their own communities. It also ensures that they don’t have to wait for supplies from outside their areas,” she said.
She added that beneficiaries are expected to pass on the knowledge to their households and communities.
According to Alheri, the implementing LGAs are Jahun, Ringim, Kiyawa, Dutse, and Kafin Hausa.
During the demonstration, women were trained to prepare nutritious meals using locally sourced ingredients. Okro, pepper, tomato, orange-fleshed sweet potato, and boma sika are among the vegetables planted in the gardens.
“It is very important for women, especially pregnant mothers, to eat nutritious food. At the nutrition corners, activities such as nutrition education, malnutrition counselling, and growth monitoring will take place during checkups and antenatal visits. Cooking demonstrations will also be held using vegetables and crops promoted under the CASCADE Project,” Alheri noted.
The Officer in Charge of Urban Maternity Hospital, Jahun, Shamsiyya Abdullahi, cautioned participants against overlooking local foods and vegetables, stressing that proper preparation helps preserve vital nutrients.
She specifically advised against the use of potash and excessive salt, warning that both could negatively affect pregnancy.
Abdullahi commended the Project, saying the intervention would go a long way in improving nutrition among women and expectant mothers in the area.
“All you need to prepare nutritious meals are readily available in your communities, such as sorghum, millet, soybeans, and groundnut,” she added.
Similarly, the Officer-in-Charge of Harbo Tsohuwa PHC, Muhammad Inuwa, applauded the initiative and pledged to ensure the facilities are effectively used for the benefit of mothers and children.
He said the intervention would help reduce child malnutrition not only in Jahun but across Jigawa State.
Speaking on behalf of the participants, Maituwo Sama’ila appreciated the initiative, noting that it would improve the health of women and children. She pledged that the participants would share the training with other women to help curb malnutrition.
As part of the intervention, the organisations donated cooking gas, pots, spoons, plates, cups, and other utensils for food demonstrations at the nutrition corners. A weighing scale and height meter were also provided.
