The Country Director HarvestPlus Nigeria, Dr Yusuf Dollah has said without addressing issues of nutrition, achieving food security may not be attainable.
Dollah stated this in Kaduna, while speaking with journalists during a press briefing, on the upcoming ninth edition of Nutritious Food Fair.
He said the food we eat must contain the essential micronutrients and vitamins that our bodies require for us to live healthy lives.
“We can’t address food security without considering the issue of nutrition, hence you hear food and nutrition security.”
Dollah said they developed some crop varieties so that the vulnerable groups in the villages that cannot buy foods like those in urban areas can also grow foods and have access to these nutritious foods.
“Also as children grow, attention is given to critical nutrients that are essential for their development. Missing these essential nutrients can expose them to permanent deformity. Nutrition experts can tell you that the first 1000 days of the development of a child is critical.
“If a child misses these essential micronutrients and vitamins can impair the development of the brain of the child.
“If we take a critical look at the Nigerian state, most of the areas with nutrition issues are the areas with the highest rates of insecurity challenges so we can safely conclude that our problem begins with nutrition and nutrition is everyone’s problem,” he said.
Dollah added said that they expect to see more private sector engagement; the SMEs, the financial institutions, and the regulatory agencies at the Food Fair.
“We are also partnering with the government at the federal levels to the state levels. At the federal level, we have the Federal Ministry of Agriculture, the Federal Ministry of Health and the Federal Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning.
“At the state level, through the Kaduna State Office of Budget and Planning, Kaduna state ministry of health, and the Kaduna State Ministry of Agriculture.
“We partner with the government because we want the government to create an enabling environment through its policies. Because in agriculture, all efforts at promoting the agricultural value chain without an enabling environment will be a waste of time and resources,” he added.
“This time around, we are also bringing in education because we want to educate the students so that they can start thinking of nutritious foods”, Dollah added.
Aisha Muhammed, a Director from Budget and Planning Commission, Kaduna State who spoke on behalf of the state state government, said this year’s edition Nutritious Food Fair with the theme ‘Transforming Food Systems for Improved Nutrition and Climate Resilience’ fits into the State government development agenda.
She said the decision of the Kaduna State Government to provide the enabling environment will stimulate investment in the nutritious food sector and ensure every man, woman and child who needs nutritious food in Kaduna state is able to have access.
“The 2-day annual event will attract stakeholders in the nutritious food space including policymakers, researchers, farmers, and food processors among others to showcase and market innovations, share updates, and discuss topical issues emerging in the nutritious food sector.
“The Food Fair anticipates over 100 commercial exhibitors, government officials, key private sector players, and 5,000 participants, during the two-day event”, she noted.
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