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  • Nutrition: CS SUNN, FG fight against malnutrition yielding success – Minister

    Nutrition: CS SUNN, FG fight against malnutrition yielding success – Minister

    By Joyce Remi-Babayeju

    ‌The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammed Ali Pate, has commended the Civil Society Sailing Up Nutrition in Nigeria, CS SUNN, for its successful engagement with Government at all levels and other stakeholders in the fight against malnutrition in the country.

    The minister who was represented by Mrs. Ladi Bako Ayegbusi gave this commendation at CS SUNN 10th Anniversary celebration on Friday in Abuja with the theme, ” A Decade of Nutrition Advocacy: A Reflecting on The Past and Shaping The Future “.

    The minister commended the efforts of CS SUNN in the past 10 years in collaborating with the Federal Government and other stakeholders and Civil Society Organizations, CSOs in its Advocacy on issues of nutrition among children, and women.

    The minister disclosed that government has commenced initiatives on empowerment of women to fight malnutrition and poverty in families across the country.

    Ayegbusi said that government would roll out funds to be channeled towards programmes that can have immediate and long-term impact on improving the lives of the women and children.

    The minister of Women Affairs, Uju Ohaneye, also stressed the need to look inwards to solve the issue of malnutrition in the country.
    She said, “we have to start cutting down on expenditures on unnecessary things and focus on sustainable programmes to empower the women.”

    “Often times, we discover that malnutrition among women and children is caused by poverty. If you teach them things about good dieting practices, and they don’t have money to buy those things, what you are doing is meaningless. We have to start looking at what our real problems are.”

    ‘The minister said the era of wasteful spending of funds meant for empowerment of women is over, adding that the government is emphasizing on the judicious use of funds to help the poor out of poverty than to further enrich the wealthy individuals.”

    “She said that the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs is presently adopting a new approach of empowering women with tools and food processing machines that they can use to become more productive.”

    The CS SUNN BoT Chairman, Dr.Mbang Kooffreh- Ada while commending the support and joint efforts with partners like Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, UNICEF, UNOPS, Scaling Up Nutrition Movement, ANRIN in the past 10 years of sensitization and Advocacy among government and policymakers on nutrition in Nigeria.

    Kooffreh-Ada said, ” CS SUNN has effectively influenced policy formulation , resource allocation and implementation mechanisms , thereby catalyzing improvements in the nutritional wellbeing of women and children under five years old across federal, state , as well y expanding jurisdictional boundaries including beyond Nigeria’s borders.”

    “CS SUNN also played a key role advocating for improved funding for health and nutrition, including a 1% consolidated revenue fund allocation for nutrition, exclusive breastfeeding, maternal nutrition , infant and young child feeding, IYCF, and staple food fortification.”

    She, however, noted that in the next decade the NGO, “We will renew commitment to advancing nutrition in Nigeria.

    High point of the CS SUNN’s decade of anniversary was the launching of book on guidelines for implementation of empowerment schemes for women and young girls in Nigeria developed by the Civil Society Network (SUN-CSN) in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs and other stakeholders.

  • CS SUNN charges FG, Stakeholders’ to fulfil Nutrition commitments

    CS SUNN charges FG, Stakeholders’ to fulfil Nutrition commitments

    ..Says one in three Nigerians suffer malnutrition

    By Joyce Remi-Babayeju

    The Civil Society for Scaling Up Nutrition in Nigeria, CS SUNN, has urged the Nigerian Government and other Stakeholders’ in the Nutrition sector to fulfil their commitments accelerating the progress of nutrition in Nigeria.

    This is as one in three Nigerians suffer malnutrition,CS SUNN stated.

    The Executive Secretary of CS SUNN, Sunday Okoronkwo said this on Thursday in Abuja at a Media Roundtable Meeting organized to push for the concert fulfillment of commitment at all government levels to advance nutrition and to tackle malnutrition in the country.

    Okoronkwo who was represented by Lilian Okafor, CS SUNN Communication Officer said,”Though some commitments for health and nutrition are yet to be fulfilled, CS SUNN commends the government for some levels of progress made on nutrition.”

    “The approval of the National Multisectional Plan of Action for Food and Nutrition, domesticated by some states with the support from CS SUNN and approval of the establishment of Nutrition departments in all nutrition line ministers.”
    The Nutrition agency further called for a paradigm shift from verbal to institutional, operational commitments.

    “Such advocated shifts should include enabling legislation, policies, and plans for nutrition, improved coordination institutional framework, better data, monitoring, and accountability systems for nutrition, inclusive of Nigeria’s commitment at the Tokyo M4G Summit.”
    Furthermore , CS SUNN called for more drive for community
    nutrition commitments across the nation.

    Also speaking at the Media Roundtable Meeting, the M4G Nutrition Policy Analyst, Chidinma Ezenwa disclosed that earlier in 2021, the N4G made commitments to reduce stunting prevalence in children from the current 37% to 25% by 2025.

    According to the Nutrition Analyst,to ensure that nutrition is grounded across the nation, the N4G is using a scorecard as a monitoring tool to track the fulfilment of commitment by governors in the areas of advocacy and accountability.
    Daybreak reports that the CS SUNN Media Roundtable Meeting was aimed at Advancing Nigeria’s nutrition commitment from pledges to concrete actions for improved nutrition outcomes.

  • WFD: Nigeria Amid Countries on Global Hunger Hotspot- CS SUNN

    WFD: Nigeria Amid Countries on Global Hunger Hotspot- CS SUNN

    … Calls on FG to commit $451m for food security
    …$144m for nutrition interventions
    …$59m for livelihood

    By Joyce Remi-Babayeju

    As Nigeria commemorates the 2022 World Food Day, WFD, today the Civil Society for Scaling Up Nutrition in Nigeria, CS SUNN, has identified Nigeria as a hunger hotspot Nation among seven other countries in the world.

    Chairman of CS SUNN International, Ekene Innocent Ifedilichukwu disclosed this today at a press briefing and Media Parley organized together with Food Basket Foundation International, FBFI to mark the WFD in Abuja.

    The theme of the 2022 WFD is, ” Leave No One Behind: Better Production, Better Nutrition, a Better Environment and a Better Life”.
    Ifedilichukwu said that early warning issued by FAO- WFP on acute food security states that Nigeria including Afghanistan, Ethiopia, South Sudan, Somali and Yemen remain the highest alert as hunger hotspot which accounts for almost one million people facing catastrophic levels of hunger with starvation and death.

    The CS SUNN Chief Executive stated that Nigeria is currently experiencing high levels of food insecurity, with 19.5 million people in crisis between June and August, 2022.

    According to him, 3.2 billion people, which is about 40 percent of the world’s population, cannot afford a healthy diet which puts them at a high risk of food insecurity and malnutrition.

    Speaking on the causes of food insecurity and malnutrition in Nigeria, he noted that challenges such as increase in food prices due to bottlenecks in supply chains, soaring transport costs, other disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, conflicts war in Ukraine and the growing intensity of climate extremes as some issues form the underlining imbalance.

    He used the WFD to call for joint efforts by stakeholders to build a Sustainable Nigeria where everyone, everywhere, has regular access to enough nutritious food.

    “Due to Farmer’s struggle to offset the year’s higher input costs of planting and livestock production , the country stands the risk of shrinking production by farmers who have fewer financial resources to compensate the rising input prices.”

    Agri-food systems transformation is critical if we want to honor the pledge to leave no one behind and deliver Betty production, better nutrition, better environment and a better life for all, Ifedilichukwu said.

    Meanwhile, the Nutrition Agency has called on the Nigerian Government to commit and release $451 million for food security, $144 million for nutrition interventions and $59 million for livelihood.
    “We further call for the scale up of acute malnutrition prevention and treatment programs in the areas of Nutrition, food e and WASH in the country by government and health partners.”

    CS SUNN and FBFI urged the private sector to be in tune with the national food safety regulations and measures to protect food and reinforce good hygiene and food safety practices along food chains , particularly in rural Communities.

    Chief Executive Officer, Food Basket Foundation International, FBFI, Dr. Funmi Akinyele speaking on Leaving no one behind said that food and nutrition security involves ensuring better nutrition from cradle through to life to adulthood by exclusive breastfeeding, infant and young child feeding, adolescent nutrition , nutrition education, home and community gardens( fruits and vegetables cultivation) , eating of five Star meals.

    Micronutrient supplementation and nutrition through life cycle for healthy life and disease prevention, she emphazied.
    Akinyele urged government to provide constant funding for agricultural and nutrition interventions and implementation, natural agricultural , food systems and nutrition policies and plans amongst others to ensure that no Nigerian is left behind.

    Director of Nutrition, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, FMARD, Dr. Rasaq Oyeleke said that 7 million Nigerians suffer acute hunger, adding that food security is when all people at all times have physical, economic access to sufficient safe and nutritious food and other dietary needs of food preferences.

    Dr. Oyeleke who was represented by Mr . Adanlawao Julius, Assistant Chief Agric Officer speaking on the Burden of Hunger and Food Insecurity in Nigeria disclosed that Nigeria has 35 million children under the age of 5 out of which 14 million are stunted and 3 million are Wasted, due to food insecurity in the country.

    Quoting UNICEF, Oyeleke stated that 14.5 million Nigerians suffer acute food insecurity emerging from climate change which causes flooding and impacts on food systems.

    Other factors mitigating on food security the Agric expert noted includes rise in Insecurity, with displaced farming communities, kidnapping of farmers for ransom while others are killed on their farmland, making farmers to abandon their farm and to fled their communities.

    He called on government to prioritise intensification of dry season farming for improved food basket of the nation in addition to more investment on Nutrition sensitization of bio- fortification of staple crops , empowerment of vulnerable households to improve access to micronutrients, food safety and nutrition education for the nation’s food system.

    Representative of the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs, Director of Nutrition, Mrs.Christiana Oroki, said that this year’s theme of Leaving no one behind is apt in view of the global hunger crisis resulting from COVID-19 pandemic and natural and man- made causes.
    She explained that the ministry is providing interventions aimed at enhancing the quality of life of women especially the vulnerable , adolescent girls and children through provision of income generating activities, nutrition education, awareness and sensitization aimed at addressing gender based issues that affects negatively the well-being of the groups.

    All stakeholders urged the media to continue to shine the spotlight on the problem of hunger and malnutrition in the country, to hold governments accountable for their actions and to set agenda for policy makers to take necessary measures to address the challenge of food insecurity in the country.

  • CS SUNN calls for more political involvement in nutrition policy implementation to tackle malnutrition

    CS SUNN calls for more political involvement in nutrition policy implementation to tackle malnutrition


    … As Nigeria records the second highest number of stunted children globally

    By Joyce Remi-Babayeju

    Civil Societies Scaling Up Nutrition, CS SUNN, a non governmental organization , operating in Nigeria has called for more political involvement by policy makers to ensure implementation of nutrition policy to tackle the alarming cases of malnutrition in the country.
    CS SUNN made this call today in Abuja today at a Media Roundtable meeting with journalists and other stakeholders to address the malnutrition situation in the country.

    The meeting tagged ” Media Roundtable on Nigeria’s Nutrition Commitments: Moving from Pledges to Action” according to the Executive Secretary of CS SUNN, Sunday Okoronkwo who was represented by Mrs. Haji Robinson is to set in motion to mobilize actions towards the fulfilment of commitments and acceleration of progress for nutrition in Nigeria.

    He noted that malnutrition is linked to poverty because family incomes that have dropped, adding that low political commitment is a serious barrier to the scale up of proven effective food and nutrition interventions in the country.

    Okoronkwo said that a paradigm shift from verbal commitment for nutrition by government to institutional and operational commitment will translate to meaningful and impactful mechanisms like enabling legislation, policies and plans for nutrition , adding that it would further improve cash- backing of budget lines for nutrition , full releases of nutrition budget , enforcement of laws and regulations like the six months paid maternity leave and more.

    He noted that malnutrition is one of the greatest health and develop challenges of our time that is affecting at least one in three people in the world, adding that Nigeria has the second highest number of stunted children in the world.
    The CS SUNN executive decried that although Nigeria for decades has continued to make commitments both at the country and global levels towards ending ending malnutrition through increased funding releases, scale up of community management of Acute Malnutrition Centres, paid 6 months maternity leave, are yet to be fulfilled.
    The Organization commended the government for the progress made so far on nutrition also made a clarion call for the approval of a National Multisectoral Action Plan for food and nutrition and establishment of Nutrition departments in all nutrition line Ministries.

    CS SUNN ,Senior MEALS Officer, Jayne Egemonye also emphasized the urgent need for the media to participate in the nutrition campaign by influence political party manifestos.

    The media should influence infusion of nutrition by pro- manifestos for politicians to know the difference between food and nutrition issues by creating awareness among policy makers, Egemonye advised.

    FCT Chapter Chairperson of Nutrition Society of Nigeria, Dr. Florence Uchendu said that emphasized that there is hunger because of lack of food.

    Uchendu added that to government needs go into mass production of Bio fortified foods which should be available and accessible to tackle malnutrition in the country.
    She lamented that harmful food practices is going on now in the country.
    According to her, Foods like banana, plantain are ripened with carbide while foods like fufu , gari including palm oil and many more are adulterated including climate change which is affecting human nutrition.

    According to Toyin Adewale of Alive and Thrive, A& T, a global nutrition Initiative, she urged the media to make politicians accountable for their declarations particularly during electoral campaigns citing the example of Nigeria’s implemention the 6 months breastfeeding policy.

    Make then aware of the malnutrition trend in Nigeria and that it is a long term investment for now and the future, Adewale explained.

    Head of Nutrition and Food Safety of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr. Rasaq Oyeleke stated that the ministry has rolled out interventions such as Bio fortification of food where micro nutrients are introduced into crops from the farmers.
    Speaking on some of the food challenges, Dr. Oyeleke said that Nigeria needs to do more in Aflatoxin control in food produce like beans and maize, groundnut in addition to doing more of bio fortification farming by reducing the level of chemicals in the foods people consume.