The vice-president of the federal republic of Nigeria, Yemi Osinbajo has revealed that the government is planning to launch an initiative called `Operation Feed Yourself’ to combat malnutrition in the country.
Laolu Akande, spokesperson to the vice-president revealed Osinbajo said this on Monday at a virtual high-level meeting on nutrition.
He said that that the initiative is a collaboration between the Federal and State government under the aegis of the National Economic Council (NEC) and the National Council on Nutrition (NCN).
The statement titled, ‘Nigeria Plans ‘Operation Feed Yourself’ To Counter Malnutrition’ quoted the Vice President to have said: “There are practical steps that can be taken by the States and Federal Government in the next 12 months.
I think that some of the suggestions are important, especially those that have come from the UN Food System Dialogue.”
States and the FGN will promote what the convener has described as ‘Operation Feed Yourself’. This is more of the establishment of urban farms and homestead gardens. This is simply something that we think should be a mass appeal to citizens in the states, and the encouragement we can give them so that individuals and schools develop their own farms or homestead gardens.
“This obviously not only helps individuals and families but the excess can be sold to others and generally improve food security.
“The establishment of Agribusiness Investment Hubs or farm settlements or farm estates or any variety of those kinds of integrated farming arrangements will improve food and nutrition security. What we are recommending is the sort of model that Oyo State has or any of the variety that States have. That sort is obviously recommended because of the way that it is structured and the obviously good result that they have been getting.”
In attendance in the meeting were UN Deputy Secretary-General, Amina Mohammed, state governors, representatives of development partners including UNICEF, and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.
Source; Bibian Anekwe News
