The Ministry of Budget and National Planning has partnered with stakeholders to review the Draft National Policy on Food and Nutrition to eradicate malnutrition in the country.
The Minister of State for the ministry, Mrs Zainab Ahmed, said that Nigeria had the highest burden of malnutrition in Africa. She said this necessitated the review of the policy to address emerging concerns in the science, practice and programme of food and nutrition activities in the country.
“The NPFN is a 10-year blueprint for eradicating malnutrition for sustainable economic growth and development in Nigeria. It is a plan for the future we desire for our country. We are here to add value to the draft NFPN; our idea, perspective and criticisms would be invaluable,’’ the minister said.
The Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Mrs Fatima Mede, said the policy had potential to address malnutrition and extreme hunger among children, pregnant and lactating mothers, noting that the policy would address emerging concerns in the science of food and nutrition programming.
Mede said that N40 million had been approved for 2016 nutrition activities in the ministry.
Mr Chris Kolawole, the Permanent Secretary, Ondo State Ministry of Economic Planning and Budget, said the state had prepared a draft policy on food and nutrition. He said that the state would domesticate the national policy as soon as it was ready, to boost economic growth and development in the state.
