The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) and the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN) have signed an MoU to improve access to affordable, safe and nutritious food in Abuja.

FCT minister Nyesom Wike, while signing the documents on Tuesday in Abuja, said the initiative would boost sustainable development, address issues around food insecurity, and improve the health systems of the people.

Mr Wik said, “There is no better time to have this than now when we have issues of malnutrition. Today is not just a mere show but the collaborative efforts we just endorsed will translate to useful results, dividends that will reflect in the lives of people in the FCT, especially those in area councils.

“We enjoin you to ensure that all that needs to be done in the campaign to drive this process are put in place. Improving nutrition is very key especially now that food scarcity has become a serious challenge in our country.”

Mr Ubokutom Nyah, mandate secretary of Economic Planning, Revenue Generation and Public-Private Partnership (EPRGPPP), said the partnership would strengthen value chains, empower primary schools with nutritious food and improve food security.

“This MoU will pave the way for interventions that have long-term benefits for the health and well-being of our pupils and residents especially those who are below the pyramid.

“It will improve access to fortified foods, enhanced nutrition education and the development of sustainable agricultural practices. It will also contribute to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly those related to zero hunger, good health and economic growth,” he said.

Michael Ojo, GAIN country director, said the three-year plan would foster a healthier food environment, reduce malnutrition, and promote sustainable food systems for improved food security and access to safe, affordable, nutritious food.

“The multidimensional index report released by the National Bureau of Statistics in 2022 highlights that the FCTA is the 11th least poor region of government in Nigeria ranking by states. 

“This means that there are 10 other states that are doing better than the FCTA. When you look at what constitutes multidimensional poverty in the FCT, nutrition is the biggest component. I think it is appropriate that we are looking at this as a major problem and we are supporting the FCTA to deal with it.

“If we are able to design projects and programmes that tackle some of the underlining causes of malnutrition, then we hope to see the health status of FCT residents improve,” he said.

Mr Ojo explained that the key areas of collaboration include building capacity on project management, advocacy and resource mobilisation, promote the adoption of biofortified crop varieties to address malnutrition.

Others support the Home-Grown School Feeding Programme (HGSFP), implement human-centred design approaches in social protection programmes, and strengthen food safety measures and nutrition-related policies. 

(NAN)