Kano govt. urges farmers to grow nutrition-rich crops to fight malnutrition
Kano govt. urges farmers to grow nutrition-rich crops to fight malnutrition
The Kano State Commissioner for Health, Dr Abubakar Labaran, has urged farmers in the state to prioritise the production of nutritious agricultural products capable of improving child health and reducing malnutrition.
The commissioner made the call on Thursday during an event tagged “Behaviour Change Communication (BCC) Knowledge Sharing Products for Improved Nutrition”.
He emphasised the need for stronger collaboration among farmers, health professionals, development partners and communities to address malnutrition among children under five years.
Labaran said nutrition played a vital role in the growth, development and overall wellbeing of children beginning from pregnancy, as the nutritional status of mothers directly affects the unborn babies.
He said children began receiving essential nutrients while in the womb and that proper nutrition continued after birth through exclusive breastfeeding and complementary feeding after six months.
According to him, the first stages of a child’s life requires adequate nutrition to support healthy growth and development.
The commissioner said discussions on nutrition remained critical because addressing malnutrition required collective efforts from all sectors, particularly agriculture and health.
He urged farmers to focus on producing crops and food products that provide essential nutrients rather than only addressing hunger.
“The foods we produce should not only satisfy hunger but should also provide the necessary nutrients required for the healthy growth and development of our children,” he said.
He said the Ministry of Health was committed to working with relevant partners to strengthen nutrition interventions, create awareness and ensure children across the state have access to food.
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The state coordinator of the programme, Aminu Iliyasu, said the Kano State Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zone (SAPZ) was a comprehensive industrialization initiative designed to create integrated agricultural focused platforms that would attract private sector investment.
Iliyasu, represented by the Director of Environmental and Climate Change, Kabiru Abdullahi, said the programme would help unlock opportunities for improved food security, job creation, and import substitution.
According to him, the overall development objective of SAPZ is to support the establishment of agro-industrial processing zones in high food-producing areas to supply domestic markets and create exportable surpluses.
Iliyasu said the intervention would enable beneficiaries to sustainably improve their incomes, household food security and resilience to climate change.
Also speaking, Hajia Rabi Mustapha, the Knowledge Management and Communication Officer of the programme, listed the participating states to include Kano, Imo, Kaduna, Cross River, Kwara, Oyo and Ogun in the first phase.
She said the programme integrated nutrition into the agricultural value chain to improve food security, dietary diversity and the nutritional status of vulnerable households.
“In Kano State, nutrition mainstreaming is embedded across programme activities to promote the production, consumption and utilisation of nutritious food while improving livelihoods,” she said.
She listed the local governments for the programme’s in Kano to include Bebeji, Bagwai, Kura, Gezawa, Garun Malam, Bichi, Dambatta, Dawakin Kudu, Kumbotso, Tofa, Gwarzo, Madobi, Shanono, Minjibir, Makoda and Gabasawa.
