The Nigerian Government has inaugurated a Multi-Sectoral Committee for the Home-Grown School Feeding Programme, NHGSFP, for proper coordination to achieve its objective of reducing poverty and hunger.
Inaugurating the Committee in Abuja, the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development Sadiya Farouq called on the members to join the national assignment of eradicating poverty and creating wealth through the various Social Investment Programmes especially the National Home Grown School Feeding Programme.
The Minister also urged the members to collaborate with each other in their areas of expertise to strengthen the programme.
Farouq said; “This Ministry is dedicated to job creation and poverty eradication. The success of this committee will be its ability to alleviate poverty through the school feeding of junior primary school pupils.
“The enrollment of school children is increased as a result of the National Home Grown School Feeding Programme, therefore, I urge you to work together with other stakeholders to participate in this programme.”
The Minister was represented by the Chairman of the Committee and National Coordinator of the National Social Investment Programme, Dr Umar Bindir.
The Team leader of the NHGSFP, Aisha Digil said the programme was designed as a collaborative effort between the tiers of government to boost nutritional status, encourage enrollment and school attendance as well as promote local economic activities.
“From the set objectives, the programme cuts across health, education, agriculture, economy and employment.
Therefore, it is important that we utilise a multi sectoral approach in planning and implementation. This means working with colleagues from the relevant ministries to jointly achieve the core objectives of the programme,” Digil stated.
Terms of Reference are;
‘‘Identifying and facilitating the implementation of relevant activities within their respective MDAs as synchronized with the National Home Grown School Feeding Programme
”Make recommendations and input to promote activities of the NHGSFP and
”Maintain relations between State Multi-Sectoral Working Group and State counterparts on NHGSF. ”
The committee members were drawn from the from the Federal Ministries of Education, Finance, Water Resources, Agriculture and Rural Development, Health, Industry, Trade and Investment.
Others are; Women Affairs, National Bureau of Statistics and the Universal Basic Education Commission.
