By Onwe Wisdom
… Nutrition International implement high impact, low cost solutions to problem of malnutrition
In line with the House of Representatives’ vision to be responsive, results-oriented and effective in performing its constitutional mandate towards the security and welfare of Nigerians, the Speaker, House of Representatives Inaugurates House Committee on Nutrition and Food Security, at the National Assembly, Thursday, 29th February.
Inaugurating the committee, the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Abbas Tajudeen Ph.D who was unavoidably absent but ably represented by the Leader of the House, Hon. Ihonvbere Julius describes the committee as very crucial to the vision of the House to “be responsive, results-oriented and effective in performing its constitutional mandate towards the security and welfare of Nigerians’.
“Nigeria, like the rest of the world, is experiencing a food crisis, exacerbated by climate change, rising inflation and pervasive insecurity. Hence, the decision of the House to set up a Committee that would be dedicated to fashioning legislative and measures, actions to tackle the menace of food insecurity and malnutrition affecting our people.
Referencing the UN Office for the Coordination of
Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) , he said about 26.5 million Nigerians
would be grappling with high levels of food insecurity in 2024 while the country is said to have the second highest burden of malnutrition in the world, with 32% of children under the age of five stunted or chronically mainourished. “Malnutrition currently impacts 35 million children under the age of five, among whom 12 million are stunted, 3 million are wasted, and 23.5 million suffer from anemia. An additional 17.7 million individuals are facing hunger, with 2.6 million children confronting severe acute
malnutrition in 2024. Among women of childbearing age, 7%
experience severe acute malnutrition.
These figures, he said may
exacerbate due to the current food inflation rate, which stands
at about 33.7% (according to the Central Bank of Nigeria).
“Furthermore, the World Food Programme’s September 2023 publication of the ‘Nigeria Hunger Map’ estimates that 24.9 million Nigerians are in an acute or critical stage of hunger,
categorized as an emergency, while 85.8 million Nigerians have insufficient food consumption. Among this population, 47.7 million Nigerians resort to crisis-level or above-crisis-level food-
based coping strategies
The Speaker acknowledged that the above data paints a very gloomy picture requiring urgent legislative action. This is particularly so given that some of the causative factors are issues within the legislative competence of the House to deal with. The food and nutrition crisis affecting us as a nation is partly caused by global warming and climate
change, pervasive insecurity across the country which prevents farmers and herders from engaging in their various agricultural activities, poor Irrigation, outdated land tenure system, crude and traditional farm practices on subsistence levels as well as a myriad of other challenges.
It is in the light of the foregoing that this Committee finds relevance and becomes very signiticant.
Charging the committee, he said “As a committee, you are expected to provide a legislative response to the worsening food insecurity and malnutrition in the country through effective oversight of policies and programmes towards addressing these twin issues especially as the President had declared a state of emergency on food insecurity, review existing legislation and suggest new legislative frameworks that affect agricultural production, the tood supply chain, etc.
Your task becomes more crucial and urgent in the face of rising food prices and high cost of living occasioned by the withdrawal of government subsidy on petroleum products.
On the capacity of the committee, Speaker said “I have no doubt in
the capacity of the Chairman and members of the committee to
deliver on this onerous task of providing immediate solution to
the growing food and nutrition crisis in the country.
I urge this committee to enlist the support and collaboration of rrelevant stakeholders to achieve success in the overall interest of Nigeria. I have confidence in the competence of the chairman and memberso of this committee to rise to the occasion and be able to come up with effective legislative roadmap on how to deal with this ugly situation. I wish to urge every stakeholder and experts in this area to provide the needed support and partner with the Committee to meet the objective for which it was established.
Emphacising on the position of the House to end hunger, he said “Let me also re-emphasize the position of the House to improved food and nutrition for our people in our resolve as a House to tame hunger and malnutrition, pursue food security
and sustainable development, we prioritized agricultural development as a key legislative agenda based on our strong belief that agricultural sector is a critical factor in growing the nation’s economy and scaling down poverty rate. Besides, We are committed to enacting policies and legislative trameworks towards supporting farmers with subsidies, access to credits and modern agricultural equipment to stimulate enhanced agricultural productivity. This will also have a far-reaching Impact in addressing the multifaceted challenges of food insecurity and malnutrition.
I am honored therefore to formally inaugurate this Committee as part of our legislative response to food insecurity and malnutrition in Nigeria. The Speaker concludes.
Earlier the Chairman of the House Committee on Nutrition and Food Security, Hon. Chike Okafor pH.D while appreciating the support of every stakeholders and partner declares State of Emergency on nutrition and food security
In a good will message, the Country Director, Nutrition International, Dr. Osita Okonkwo says is a trusted partner of government since it establishment in Nigeria in 2007
Nutrition International implement high impact, low-cost solutions to the problem of malnutrition including micronutrient deficiencies-through different programs and interventions.
The organization with her strong team of experts in public health and nutrition has works with partners to support the government to ensure people in need are reached with life-saving and life-enhancing nutrition programming.
They works closely with the Nutrition Department of the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning, the National Primary Health Care Development Agency and other partners to reduce the high burden of malnutrition.
Nutrition International 2022/3 activities according to Osita reached 1.2 million pregnant women with iron and folic acid supplements (87% of the population), 2.3 million children under 5 years were reached with two doses of Vitamin A, 210,642 diarrhea episodes in children were treated with zinc and oral rehydration salts, and 254 health workers cascading to 1,427 others were trained in integrated management of childhood illnesses.
NI’s Optimizing Adherence to Maternal Multiple Micronutrient Supplementation in Nigeria project is a three- year (2022-2025) Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation-funded implementation research project to establish evidence for the Federal Ministry of Health to transition from IFA supplementation to MMS within antenatal care. Nutrition International, in collaboration with the Government of Nigeria, Bauchi State Government and other implementing partners is working to: elevate and advance maternal nutrition by improving adherence to micronutrient supplementation during pregnancy; generate evidence through implementation research on MMS (to replace IFA) for pregnant women that responds to the needs of the Government of, optimize adherence with an equity lens through employing human-centered design, co-creation strategies, and adaptative implementation; strengthen maternal programs to effectively deliver micronutrient supplements to pregnant women through public health system platforms, adopt a women-centered approach that prioritizes quality of care, respect and dignity, while ensuring that the unique needs of pregnant adolescents are considered; and contribute to national and global knowledge, evidence and operational guidance on improving micronutrient supplementation adherence.
In the area of Social Protection, our recently concluded Social Safety Net Programs Assessment Study is supporting the Government of Nigeria to identify opportunities in its social protection programs to provide
greater nutritional benefits for children and women.