Some nutrition stakeholders have advocated for nutritional innovative solutions to transform Nigeria’s food systems and empower Enterprise Support Organisations (ESOs) to improve access to healthier diets.
They made the call on Thursday in Abuja at the 2024 ESOs for Nutrition Convening in Nigeria with the theme, “Catalysing Nutritional Innovation: Empowering ESOs to Transform Food Systems.”
The event was organised by the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN).
The Programme Lead, Nutrition Enterprise Development, Mr Aime Kwizera, said the meeting brought together stakeholders to accelerate innovations in nutrition and empower ESOs to transform food systems.
“This convening is a critical platform for sharing knowledge, fostering partnerships and identifying innovative solutions that will empower ESOs to effectively integrate nutrition-focused strategies into their support for MSMEs.
“Through today’s discussions and sessions, we aim to equip you with advanced tools and skills, facilitate impactful collaborations and engage with policymakers to create an enabling environment for our shared goals.
“Our theme reflects our commitment to not only support ESOs but also to challenge the status quo and rethink how we can collectively make a difference how we work and support MSMEs in the food systems in Nigeria,” she said.
Also, the Country Director, of GAIN, Dr Michael Ojo, noted the pivotal role ESOs played in supporting MSMEs to ensure transformation in the food system.
Ojo added that ESOs were uniquely positioned to catalyse change within food systems by providing support to MSMEs; building the capacity of their businesses not only to survive but to evolve, grow, thrive, innovate and be resilient in the face of challenges.
He added that ESOs also facilitated capacity building, access to finance and markets, innovation and technology adoption, and policy advocacies to transform food systems, improve nutrition and ensure food security.
“By supporting MSMEs that produce, process, and distribute nutritious foods, ESOs help to increase the availability and affordability of these foods in underserved markets.
“Moreover, ESOs have the power to drive social change by promoting inclusive business models that empower women and youth, who are often the most vulnerable in our food systems,” he said.
He, therefore, advocated for more collaboration and support to improve the impact of ESOs to achieve food systems transformation for healthier, nutritious, safe and affordable food and food systems that were resilient, sustainable and inclusive.
The Project Manager, Nutrition Impact at Scale, Ms Mercy Olorunfemi, added that the project aimed at scaling up GAIN’s works in supporting SMEs across sub-Sahara Africa and also works with ESOs on agriculture.
“What we are doing is bringing all these stakeholders together to ensure that they have the right knowledge to integrate nutrition into the work they are doing and holistically support SMEs.
“So, we are looking at nutrition, food safety in terms of integration and how they understand investing in nutrition SMEs and able to have more safe and nutritious food available in markets that are underserved,” she said.
On his part, the Programme Manager, of Inspire Decisions, Mr Emmanuel Ejewelu, stressed the need to equip ESOs with advanced tools that would enable them to impact and promote nutrition and support nutrition-focused businesses.
Other activities included stakeholders signing of nutrition commitment and panel sessions.
By Justina Auta
