The House of Representatives is to hold a National Summit on Nutrition and Food Security in Abuja.
The Summit is convened under the auspices driven by the House Committee on Nutrition and Food Security.
The chairman of the committee, Mr. Chike Okafor while briefing the media in Abuja, said that the summit is scheduled as the anchor event for the opening day
of this year’s House of Representatives Open Week.
“The theme of the Summit is: “Curbing Malnutrition and Food Insecurity Through
Effective Synergies.” Mr. Okafor said.
He said that despite decades of national policies and sectoral programmes aimed at improving nutrition and food systems, Nigeria continues to grapple with alarming rates of malnutrition and food insecurity.
“Children under the age of 5, pregnant and nursing mothers, and vulnerable populations in rural areas bear the brunt of this crisis.
This situation is exacerbated by factors such as:
Climate change and environmental degradation. Persistent insecurity across food-producing regions, high inflation and cost of living.
Inadequate infrastructure for food storage, processing, and distribution.
Low public investment in nutrition-sensitive and nutrition-specific interventions”, he said.
He noted that the Summit is designed as a multi-sectoral and multi-stakeholder engagement platform.
“It will bring together relevant actors from the Executive and Legislative branches
across federal, state, and local levels, as well as key development partners and the
private sector.
The core objectives are as follows:
1. To harmonise legislative, policy, and programmatic responses to nutrition and food
security challenges across all tiers of government.
2. To examine innovative and sustainable financing mechanisms for nutrition, including
public-private partnerships.
3. To formulate strategies for building resilient and inclusive food systems, particularly
in the face of climate shocks, economic disruptions, and insecurity.
4. To strengthen parliamentary oversight and accountability frameworks in the
implementation of nutrition-related programmes and budgets.
5. To align development partner interventions with national legislative priorities, ensuring coordinated and impactful support”, he said.
The lawmaker also said that the Summit will feature a broad representation of stakeholders.
He pointed out that the summit will strengthen legislative frameworks for nutrition and food security at federal and state levels.
“Improved budgetary appropriations and tracking of nutrition funding;
Clear recommendations for policy reform and inter-agency coordination
Enhanced synergy between development partners and legislative stakeholders
Roadmap for effective domestication and implementation of nutrition policies by State Houses of Assembly,” he said.
On his part, the Spokesman of the House of Representatives Mr. Akin Rotimi, urged the media to champion the summit for the good of Nigerians.
He said that the media has a role to play in the success of the National Summit On Nutrition And Food Security.