By Felicia Imohimi
The Federal Government has urged stakeholders to invest in school gardens, food literacy and nutrition awareness in order to ensure food sufficiency.
Dr Yetunde Adeniji, Senior Special Assistant to the President on School Feeding Programme, made the call at the School Garden Debate Competition and Stakeholders Roundtable on “Enhancing Nutrition and Food Systems Literacy in School” in Abuja.
The theme for the stakeholders meeting is “Cultivating Minds, Growing Solutions: Youth at the Forefront of Food Systems Innovation in Nigeria.”
It was organised by the Ministries of Agriculture and Food Security (FMAFS) and Budget and Economic Planning, United Nations Food System Summit (UNFSS) Nigeria Task Team, Community Action for Food Security, Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN), among others.
Adeniji, who identified school gardens, food literacy and nutrition awareness as vital, called on educators to make nutrition and food systems literacy as part of their lessons.
She listed the benefits of school gardens as hands-on learning, food security and self-sufficiency and environmental awareness.
She urged everyone to cultivate a future where every young Nigerian not only had access to nutritious food but understand the value of what they ate.
“I urge community leaders to support and protect school graders; l invite policymakers to continue funding school feeding programmes and consider the role that gardens and educational initiatives can play in enhancing their effectiveness.
“I encourage everyone to become advocate for food-secure Nigeria where every child has the right to grow, learn and thrive.
“Together, let us cultivate a future where every young Nigerian not only have access to nutritious food but understands the value of what is on their plate.
“Let’s build a generation that is well-equipped to build a sustainable, resilient food system for our nation,” she said.
Also, Temitope Fashedemi, Permanent Secretary, FMAFS, said the ministry was committed to driving the renewed hope agenda of President Bola Tinubu in the sector.
According to him, the agenda is geared towards achieving food and nutrition security as well as enhancing economic growth.
Fashedemi, represented by Mr Kingsley Onigue, Assistant Chief Agriculture Officer, Nutrition and Food Safety, said the ministry had been promoting nutrition sensitive agriculture by mainstreaming nutrition into all value chains.
The permanent secretary described malnutrition indices in the country, specifically micronutrient deficiency, as alarming in spite the concerted efforts put in place to curb malnutrition.
“This implies that all hands must be on deck to collectively address the challenges of malnutrition in Nigeria.
“We are promoting school garden and homestead gardening which we give nutrition inputs packs to schools and vulnerable households.
“This strategy is meant to improve access to micro-nutrients through the consumption of biofortified crops, fruits and vegetables produced in school garden and at homestead,” he said.
On his part, David Stevenson, Country Director, United Nations World Food Programme (WFP), said school gardens engaged students in the process of farm to table agriculture.
Stevenson, represented by Agna Mungatia, Head of Capacity Strengthening Policy Coherence, WFP, further identified school gardens as a way of fostering a sense of community, better understanding and appreciation for nutrition and numerous qualities.
“As Nigeria prepares to resume its home-grown school feeding programme, it is an opportunity to leverage the potential of school gardens combined with the school feeding programme to enhance food security, improve nutrition and contribute positively to Nigeria economic development.
“A child’s education and health constitute more than his or her well-being, it constitutes the future of a country. Children require sufficient nutrients to think, learn and grow intellectually. School meals are the bedrock of educational opportunities.
“School feeding is one of the largest and best functioning social protection programmes in the world.
“It helps to address both immediate hunger and nutritional needs of children and lays foundation for developing human capital,” he said.
He said that the organisation remained committed to supporting the county’s efforts to achieve food and nutrition security.
Stevenson said WFP would continue to collaborate with the National Task Team on Food Systems to build a more resilient and sustainable food system. (NAN)