The Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN), an International Foundation, has partnered the Oyo state government on enhanced access to safe, nutritious foods and how to boost food security in the state.
Dr Michael Ojo, Country Director, GAIN Nigeria, disclosed this in a statement on Tuesday in Abuja.
He said that given the increase in the multidimensional poverty level in the country, the rate of malnutrition would be on the rise.
He added that this among other reasons, prompted the foundation to partner state governments in the country to transform food systems in other to deliver more nutritious foods to the people, especially the most vulnerable.
“Malnutrition in all its forms, imposes unacceptably high costs, direct or indirectly on the nation.
“It stretches the already thin economy and has important economic consequences at the individual, household and community level.
“The prevalence of malnutrition in Nigeria goes beyond the ability to purchase food.
“It is ingrained in those structural, cultural and psychological predispositions that hinder Nigerians from considering nutrition as a priority in the light of multidimensional poverty in Nigeria, it is expected that malnutrition at all levels will also rise,” he said.
He added that the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Oyo state government would foster food security and enhance access to safe and nutritious food.
“The state which is endowed with about 28, 454 square kilometers of land mass is well positioned to provide the needed incubation hub that will provide the leverage for increased productivity and scalability of nutritious food systems.
“We are committed to championing collective action in the fight against malnutrition through the strengthening of the food systems to enhance the production and access to safe and nutritious food in a sustainable way.
“Some of the interventions currently being implemented by GAIN in Oyo state are the Strengthening Nutrition in Priority Staples Project (SNIPS) and Commercialisation of Biofortified Crops Project (CBC).
“These projects aims to significantly improve productivity and efficiency of farmers and businesses, to improve the production of nutrients especially in the cassava, maize, orange and sweet potatoes value chains,” he said.
Prof. Musbau Babatunde, Commissioner of Budget and Economic Planning, Oyo State, said the MoU was significant as it would provide an enabling environment for enhanced nutrition for the indigenes and residents of Oyo state.