The minister of state for humanitarian affairs and poverty reduction, Yusuf Sununu, has appealed for support in implementing the Renewed Hope national home-grown School feeding programme.

Ms Sununu made the appeal during a meeting with development partners, NGOs, and government officials held in Abuja on Wednesday.

He said the programme aims to combat child hunger and improve educational outcomes across the country.

Ms Sununu highlighted the plan’s holistic design — providing daily nutritious meals using locally sourced ingredients to support both children’s health and local farming communities.

He stressed the need for transparency, accountability, and collaboration to sustain the programme and ensure its long-term success.

“The initiative aims to benefit 10 million children and could increase school enrolment by 20 per cent and academic performance by 15 per cent by 2025,” he said.

The relaunch comes amid projections that over 30 million Nigerians may face hunger, underscoring the urgency of swift and effective implementation.

“Our mission is to feed every public school pupil in Primary One to Three, nurturing their potential and building the nation’s future,” he stated.

The programme is also designed to reduce malnutrition, boost school retention rates, and contribute meaningfully to national development.

Ms Sununu announced the relaunch would take place on May 29 to mark President Bola Tinubu’s second year in office.

He described it as a major step towards fighting hunger, malnutrition, and low school enrolment across the country.

He urged community ownership, active parental involvement, and training for cooks, while noting the programme’s potential to empower women and smallholder farmers.

Development partners, including the AMA Foundation and private firms like Tetra Pak, have pledged support for the renewed initiative.

The government also promised reforms, improved monitoring, and collaboration to guarantee sustainability and measurable impact.

Ms Sununu called on all stakeholders to unite, stressing that the programme is capital intensive and requires joint effort for success.

Aderemi Adebowale, national programme manager of RH-NHGSFP, described the programme as an investment in the nation’s future.

She said the aim extends beyond feeding — it also includes empowering women, youth, and farmers through inclusive and sustainable practices. 

Ms Adebowale noted that N100 billion has been allocated in the 2025 budget to scale up reach and deepen community impact.

“The updated RH-NHGSFP will provide daily meals to public primary pupils using food grown and sourced locally,” she explained.

She emphasised the power of collaboration, saying success would depend on collective action and a shared national vision.

Between 2018 and 2022, the programme improved nutrition and enrolment, but struggled with supply chain and farmer involvement issues.

Ms Adebowale disclosed new QR-coded supply chains and real-time tracking for better transparency, quality control, and accountability.

According to her, the programme will fully integrate women, youth, cooks, and farmers, offering targeted training and income opportunities.

“Nutritionists, health professionals, and supervisors will monitor food quality and assess pupil health and programme outcomes.

“The focus remains on local sourcing, especially through women-led cooperatives, aiming to reduce rural poverty by 40 per cent,” Ms Adebowale said.

She said collaboration with the National Identity Management Commission will ensure all beneficiaries are registered and tracked.

She urged partnerships with development agencies, community leaders, politicians, and state governors to ensure nationwide ownership.

Badamasi Lawal, CEO of NSIPA, said the relaunch represents a turning point in Nigeria’s fight against child hunger and inequality.

Represented by Binta Musa, he called on stakeholders to unite and secure a healthier, more inclusive future for children. 

The meeting ended with a call for strategic partnerships to align the initiative with key Sustainable Development Goals. 

(NAN)