By Philip Yatai

The Kaduna State Committee on Food and nutrition on Monday appealed to the Kaduna State Agricultural Development Agency (KADA) to place more priority on interventions that would help combat malnutrition in the state.

The SCFN made the appeal when its members, supported by Civil Society-Scaling Up Nutrition in Nigeria (CS-SUNN) visited the General Manager of the agency, Dr Abubakar Bayero in his office in Kaduna.

Malam Salisu Lawal, Director, Development Aid Coordination, Planning and Budget Commission, who spoke on behalf of members of the committee, said that the state was among states with the highest burden of malnutrition.

According to him, KADA has a key role to play in the ongoing efforts to end malnutrition in the state given its mandate in ensuring food security and improving households access to affordable food.

Lawal explained the committee with membership from critical stakeholders and relevant Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDA), including KADA was working to ensure that every MDA plays its role.

“Household food insecurity is not having access to a nutritiously balanced food supply. This is a major cause of malnutrition in low-income households in the state.

“We, therefore, want KADA to strengthen its interventions in ensuring households food security through implementation of sensitive programmes that would ensure quality and nutritious food on the table,” he said.

CS-SUNN’s Chairman, Mr Ifedilichuku Ekene-Innocent, described the agricultural sector as “crucial” to preventing malnutrition through ensuring households’ access to nutritious food sources.

Ekene-Innocent pointed out that adequate response to the malnutrition crises requires strong commitment of all relevant stakeholders, particularly government agencies.

He urged KADA to ensure that its interventions improve the availability and access to quality food sources for every citizen to be nutrition secured.

Responding, Bayero, assured the committee that the agency was making every effort to boost food production level in the state.

He said that the state government was doing everything it can to attract the needed investment in the sector to boost food production.

He noted that household’s access to nutrition rich food would significantly impact on human capital development which in the long run would translate to economic growth and development of the state.

He stressed the need for a massive sensitisation campaign to change people’s behaviour towards food production and eating habits.

He said that people should be encouraged to practice backyard garden, poultry and planning of fruit trees in available spaces in houses to increase consumption of vegetables and fruits.

This, according to him, will significantly address the problem of malnutrition in the state.