A nutritionist, Mrs Aisha Hussein, says embracing the old practice of home and school gardening will teach the younger generation the importance of greens in their daily diet.
Hussein said this at a one-day training organised by the Kwara Government for local government officials.
The exercise held at Bode Sa’ad in Moro Local Government Area had the theme: “Balanced Diet with Locally Sourced Food items.”
The nutritionist said that malnutrition affects the physical and intellectual growth of children, emphasising the importance of a balanced diet through the use of locally sourced food items.
According to her, a healthy and balanced diet is good for everyone, especially mothers, for their babies through exclusive breastfeeding.
The nutritionist encouraged the participants to embrace the old practice of home gardening, which she said gives fresh vegetables at no cost, and school gardening teaching the younger ones the importance of greens in their daily diet.
The Commissioner for Local Government, Chieftaincy Affairs and Community Development, Mr Abubakar Bata said the training was to sensitise the people at the grassroots.
He said it was also to maximise the use of locally sourced food items instead of chemically induced spices.
Bata, represented by the Director of Personnel, Finance and Supply, Mr Micheal Oyelowo, appreciated Gov. AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq for his foresight and leadership in bringing life back into nutrition and similar programmes with direct impact on the well-being of the citizens.
He said such programmes were long abandoned, but resuscitated by the present administration because of his desire to enhance the lifestyle of residents.
Bata implored the participants to maintain the confidence reposed in them by increasing the tempo of an effective and well-coordinated campaign to the hinterlands.
Earlier, the Director, of Community Development in the ministry, Mr Abdullateef Mustapha, acknowledged the role of the present administration in ensuring that every indigene of Kwara was nourished.
Mustapha said that the training would be educative and explicit, as the resource persons were well grounded in their fields.
He urged the participants to make good use of the opportunity.
The Director of Personnel Management, Moro Local Government, Mr Olalekan Arinde expressed gratitude to Gov. AbdulRazaq for his efforts at improving the health and wellbeing of the people.
In his remarks, the Deputy Director, of Community Development, Mr AbdulRazaq Babatunde, urged the participants to take the message of healthy living through locally made nutritious meals back to their people.
One of the participants, Mahmood Abdullahi, said the training was long overdue and needed, especially in the rural communities.
He said the training would re-orientate the local government officials on their responsibilities to the healthy living of the people and the green environment.
Participants were drawn from the five Local Government Councils in Kwara North Senatorial District, including the Head of Department (HOD) Health, Development Officers, State Community Development Officers, and Local Government Nutrition Focal persons.
NAN
