In order to drastically alter the nutritional landscape of the country, Vice President Kashim Shettima has urged the National Council on Nutrition (NCN) to prioritise innovation and research.
Shettima made the request in his keynote speech during the new NCN’s inauguration on Tuesday at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.
I want to make a plea to all of the members to give nutrition research and innovation top priority.
To find scalable and long-lasting answers to our nutrition problems, we must embrace technology, use digital tools, and spend money on research and development.
This is in line with our efforts to achieve Universal Health Coverage and the Sustainable Development Goals.
“We can radically revolutionise the nutritional landscape in Nigeria, bringing about long-lasting and significant change,” he added. “By leveraging the power of innovation and making wise investments.
The vice president, who is also the council’s chairman, stated that there are obstacles preventing the achievement of defined aims and goals.
He contends that Nigeria must work together to improve nutrition governance, guarantee widespread access to nutrient-dense food, support ideal nutrition for infants and early children, and support nutrition education and awareness initiatives.
While financing is unquestionably important, we also need to prioritise process simplification, put workable solutions into place, and promote real teamwork if we want to get over the obstacles we face.
“A healthy country is not only happier, but also safer. This emphasises how important it is that we are all here together today.
This is an opportunity to underline that the quality of our food is just as important as the quantity that we consume, as well as to reaffirm our commitment to comprehending the relationship between food and human security, the speaker stated.
According to President Bola Tinubu’s objective for food and nutrition security, the makeup of the NCN is a testament to the importance placed on the nutrition of every Nigerian, according to Shettima.
He added that the council was prepared to support political will and the use of resources to end malnutrition.
This is how we’re going to realistically accomplish the goals listed in the National Policy on Food and Nutrition.
“I am therefore, confident that the diverse assembly of stakeholders within this council will facilitate comprehensive multi-stakeholder engagement, encompassing various sectors such as health, agriculture, and social protection as well as spanning across different levels of government,” the speaker added.
The vice president thanked the UN system and business sector participants for their assistance.
He remarked that the nation was fortunate to have allies who could provide both technical and financial support for the government’s attempts to address the issue.
Sen. Atiku Bagudu, Minister of Budget and National Planning, had earlier stated that the establishment of NCN would ensure continued consolidation of the sector’s already-recorded results.
He emphasised the nation’s alignment with the global initiative to create Food Systems Transformation Pathways in particular.
However, Bagudu revealed that all 36 states, including the FCT, had started implementing the Food Systems Transformation Pathways’ priority tasks.
The Minister of Women Affairs, Alhaji Mohammed Idris, the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Sen. Abubakar Kyari, and the Minister of Agriculture all attended the ceremony.
Others include Dr. Beta Edu, Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation; Mrs. Uju Kennedy, Minister of State for Health; Prof. Joseph Utsev, Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation;
The Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Nutrition Society of Nigeria, Muhammad Sanusi II, the World Bank Country Director, Mr. Shubam Chauhdri, and the UNICEF Country Representative, Ms. Cristiane Munduate, are also present at the meeting.
