By Nasir Shuaibu
In a renewed effort to tackle malnutrition in Bauchi State, the Civil Society Scaling Up Nutrition in Nigeria (CS-SUNN) in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning (FMBEP), convened a three-day strategic meeting aimed at strengthening the Bauchi State Committee on Food and Nutrition (SCFN).
One of the major highlights of the event was a strong call by Mr. Lujuna Julus, a representative from the FMBEP, advocating for the creation of dedicated Nutrition Departments across all line Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) in line with the National Policy on Food and Nutrition.
He emphasized that institutionalizing nutrition directorates would not only improve coordination and implementation but also enhance budgetary approvals, fund releases, and accountability for nutrition interventions.
"The training seeks to build the capacity of the SCFN members and foster collaboration among stakeholders to achieve sustainable improvements in the nutrition landscape of Bauchi State," Mr. Julus stated.
Delivering a welcome address on behalf of the State Government, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Budget, Economic Planning and Multilateral Coordination, Jibrin Muhammad Yusuf, noted that Bauchi remains committed to improving nutrition outcomes. He disclosed that the State Government recently released N100 million as counterpart funding under the UNICEF-supported child nutrition intervention, a significant move towards addressing child malnutrition.
Yusuf further revealed that efforts are being expanded to non-sensitive areas such as agriculture and home gardening, with selected households now benefitting from nutrition-sensitive interventions like home-state gardening to boost local food production and improve dietary diversity.
Also speaking, the State Nutrition Officer, Abubakar Saleh Baba, cited concerning data from the National Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS) spanning 2018 to 2023, which showed: • Stunting increased by 2.9% • Underweight cases rose by 7% • Wasting slightly decreased by 3.3% for moderate cases but increased by 0.8% for severe cases. These statistics underscore the urgency for intensified and sustained action on nutrition across all sectors in the state.
In a goodwill message, a representative from Alive & Thrive, one of the key donor partners, praised CS-SUNN’s leadership in convening the training. He highlighted that Alive & Thrive is currently working with over 50 Civil Society Organizations to implement nutrition interventions across Bauchi and other states.
Participants, including Mrs. Murreen Jibrin, Chairperson of CS-SUNN Bauchi Chapter, and Khaleed Darazo from the Ministry of Women Affairs and Child Development, described the training as timely and impactful, expressing optimism that the knowledge gained would translate into concrete results for the state’s nutrition agenda.
The meeting brought together over 30 heads of MDAs, alongside representatives from NAFDAC and the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), who are expected to cascade the knowledge and coordinate more effectively towards a multi-sectoral response to malnutrition.
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