The United State Agency for International Development (USAID), on Friday in Birnin Kebbi met with stakeholders on initiative to improve food security, safety and nutrition.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the initiative is called on Evidence and Action Toward Safe, Nutritious Food (EatSafe),
The initiative, will support Nigeria in improving food security, safety, nutrition, and resilience, especially in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Nigeria will receive six million dollars in funding as one of five countries to benefit from a five year, Cooperative Agreement awarded to the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN), an independent non-profit foundation, which has been operating in Nigeria since 2012.
Implementation will begin in Kebbi, which has the highest incidence of malnutrition in the country.
NAN reports that stakeholders were drawn from state government agencies, regulatory agencies, federal agencies, development partners, Non-Governmental Organisations, professional bodies, farmers and market associations.
Speaking, Dr Augustine Okoruwa, Head of EatSafe Country Programmes, said the meeting was sequel to a national and state launch of the EatSafe: evidence and action toward safe, nutritious food project.
“In our bid to carry all stakeholders along and in fulfillment of our co-creation drive, the EatSafe Nigeria held a national stakeholders’ meeting, to brief stakeholders on the progress made so far on the projects and explore areas and opportunities for collaboration in ensuring and promoting consumption of safe nutritious food for all Nigerian.
“This is what we are doing in Kebbi now and the meeting would also provide an opportunity for stakeholders to review and evaluate some proposed food safety indicators for Kebbi in particular and Nigeria in general’’, he said.
He explained that the project ran for five years, and was expected to increase and consolidate knowledge and evidence of food safety risk in informal markets in Nigeria, with a focus on the Kebbi state.Tho
Participants commended USAID, adding that the initiative would help in ameliorating the numerous food safety challenges of the country.
The areas and opportunities for collaboration highlighted during the meeting included training and retraining, sensitisation and awareness creation, among others. (NAN).
