AIMED at reducing malnutrition and hidden hunger among Nigerians, the federal government has supported 480 households in Oyo State with nutritional inputs.
Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Alhaji Sabo Nanono affirmed the federal government’s resolve while distributing the packs to select households in Atiba and Surulere local government areas of Oyo state.
Speaking, Nanono charged the 480 beneficiaries to utilise the nutrition input packs to produce biofortified crops that will improve the nutrition of Nigerians.
He explained that the federal government was keen on nutrition sensitive agriculture so as to reduce malnutrition, stunting, underweight, especially among under five years children, to the barest minimum.
Nanono, who was represented by Oyo state director of the federal ministry of agriculture, Mr Ogunwale Joseph, said the nutritional inputs will enable Nigerians consume food that is rich in essential vitamins and minerals.
Noting that the federal government was not unaware of sharp increases in food prices, reduction in incomes of the poor and vulnerable, negative impacts of COVID-19, Nanono emphasised the need for more involvement of government, individuals, nongovernmental agencies in addressing the nation’s nutrition challenges.
The Agric minister enjoined beneficiaries to effectively utilise the inputs to improve the nutrition of their households, especially those under five years and school age children.
Each pack that beneficiaries got contains orange fleshed sweet potato, pawpaw seedlings, ugwu seedlings, tomato seeds, vitamin A maize organic fertiliser, organic pesticide.
In his own remarks as state coordinator, Ogunwale Joseph stressed that the desire of the federal government is to help evolve eating habit that engenders a more balanced regimen in order to reduce overconsumption of certain classes of food.
Ogunwale added that the objective was to ensure national food and nutrition security by ensuring adequate availability of safe and nutritional food at affordable prices for the rural and urban population in Nigeria.
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