Stakeholders in the health and nutrition sector have expressed support for the Tom Brown Business Case, an initiative aimed at enhancing the production of locally fortified complementary food and improving child nutrition in Kano State.

The endorsement was made during a two-day validation workshop organised by the Kano State Ministry of Health in collaboration with the Presidential Initiative for Unlocking the Healthcare Value Chain.

The two-day meeting, which was supported by the UK-FCDO Lafiya Programme, was held from November 7 to 8 in Kano.

Speaking at the event, health commissioner Abubakar Labaran stated that the state government remains committed to reducing malnutrition through sustainable, home-grown solutions.

He said the Tom Brown initiative would enhance food security, support child health, and empower local producers, particularly women and young people.

Mr Labaran commended PVAC for partnering with the ministry and acknowledged the continued financial and technical support from the UK-FCDO Lafiya Programme in strengthening health and nutrition value chains in the state.

PVAC national coordinator Abdu Mukhtar said the initiative would promote local manufacturing, value addition, and economic opportunities for small and medium enterprises within the nutrition sector.

“Through the Tom Brown Business Case, we are not only addressing child malnutrition but also unlocking economic opportunities in the nutrition ecosystem,” he said.

Earlier, the director-general of the Drugs and Medical Consumables Supply Agency, Gali Sule, said the workshop was a continuation of an earlier meeting held in Abuja to develop the implementation framework for the initiative.

He explained that the Tom Brown project would enhance the agency’s capacity to produce drugs and nutritional supplements, in line with the state’s priority of combating malnutrition.

Speaking on behalf of the UK-FCDO Lafiya Programme, the team lead in the state, Abdulkadir Kabara, reaffirmed the programme’s commitment to providing catalytic support to the initiative and strengthening the health systems.

“The workshop provided a platform for stakeholders to review and validate the Tom Brown business model, investment framework, and technical inputs, as well as clarify roles and responsibilities to ensure implementation readiness,” he said.

He added that participants also built consensus on production models, financing options, and sustainability plans.

According to him, the Tom Brown Business Case is part of ongoing efforts to promote the local production of fortified complementary foods, aiming to prevent malnutrition among women and children while boosting agricultural and manufacturing value chains in the state.

(NAN)