By Abdullahi Lukman
The Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security (FMAFS), in collaboration with the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) and the House of Representatives Committee on Nutrition and Food Security, on Thursday launched the “Nourish Nigeria” project to strengthen the country’s fight against food insecurity and malnutrition.
The initiative was inaugurated at a one-day workshop in Abuja focused on nutrition-sensitive agriculture.
Representing the Permanent Secretary of FMAFS, Dr. Marcus Ogunbiyi, Mr. Olanipekun Oshadiya emphasized the critical role of the project in boosting dietary diversity and improving the nutritional value of food produced across Nigeria.
The new Technical Cooperation Programme (TCP), titled: ‘Nourishing Nigeria: Integrating Nutrition-Sensitive Approaches for the Implementation of the Agriculture Sector Food Security and Nutrition Strategy (AFSNS)’, aims to integrate nutrition-focused practices into agricultural planning and policy.
FAO’s Representative ad interim in Nigeria and ECOWAS, Koffy Kouacou, represented by Operations Officer, Tofiq Braimah, underscored the urgency of the project, citing growing food insecurity and the rise in negative coping mechanisms among households, such as meal skipping and reduced food quality.
The pilot phase of the program is to be implemented in Lagos, Ogun, Niger, and Bauchi States, focusing on educating stakeholders, promoting coordinated efforts, and managing risks tied to nutrition-sensitive agriculture.
Chairman of the House Committee on Nutrition and Food Security, Dr. Chike Okafor, called for the expansion of the initiative and the establishment of robust legal and policy frameworks.
He stressed the need to eliminate practices like multiple taxation on food transit and cultural norms that inhibit optimal nutrition for women and children.
Nuhu Kilishi, Director of the Nutrition and Food Security Department and National Project Coordinator for Nourish Nigeria, emphasized that the project marks a “fundamental shift” in agricultural policy design.
He stated that the long-term objective is to create an enabling environment where nutrition-sensitive agriculture becomes integral to food security planning.
Stakeholders reaffirmed their commitment to the national food systems transformation agenda, with the broader aim of drastically reducing malnutrition, stunting, and other related health issues across the country.