Amidst efforts to tackle high rate of malnutrition in the country, the government of Netherlands has provided 10million euros to improve the nutrition of 1.1million women and children across four states.
The project tagged “Catalyzing Strengthened Policy Action for Healthy Diets and Resilience (CASCADE) is to be implemented by Cooperative Assistance and Relief Everywhere (CARE) International, and the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN), with funding from the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs, for a period of 4 and a half years will improve nutritional outcomes for 1.1 million women of reproductive age and children under 5 across Bauchi, Jigawa, Kebbi, and Nasarawa states
The Country Director of CARE international Hussaini Abdu while speaking at the launch of the project yesterday stated that the project is apt given the current malnutrition challenges facing the country of under nutrition affecting the vulnerable population especially pregnant women and children , adding that over nutrition in the urban areas and tide relates diseases is rising.
He stated that CASCADE was introduced to tackle the nutrition challenges saying the states were selected based on the enormity of the challenges in the selected states .
He stated that the project will promote consumption of healthy diets amongst pregnant women in the states as well as under 5 children. They will also increase their resilience to shocks and economy stress that impact nutrition outcomes He said the also intend to increase the resilience of households to climate change shocks that impact their nutrition outcomes
Netherlands Ambassador Walter Plomp stated that they stand united to launch at transformative project aimed at strengthening nutrition systems, uplifting 1.1million women and children under the age of 5
He noted that Strengthening nutrition is not unique to Nigeria in the face of soaring and unpredictable food prices worldwide saying the kingdom of Netherlands is championing nutrition globally knowing that nutrition will always be the bedrock of any society
He revealed that In the past two years through a Nigeria program, they have supported over 50,000 women and men in Kano and Kaduna in good agricultural practice to boost household nutrition and livelihoods.
The representative of the Minister of Budget and Economic Planing Faniran Sanjo stated that the government has also demonstrated commitment to strengthen investments in food and nutrition by developing the National Food and Nutrition Policy and the implementation manual known as National Multi Sectoral Plan of Action that will enable each and every stakeholders to know what and what should be done, as well as associated guidelines aimed at strengthening policy implementation and creating an enabling environment for service delivery to thrive.
He stated that the CASCADE project alignn with the federal government’s focus on food security, and the mandates of the Federal Ministry of budget and National planning to strengthen our collaboration with donors and develop partners are also maximize the current financial resources coming into the country from donor agencies, foundations and other key providers of support to Nigeria to ensure value for money project delivery and improved nutrition in Nigeria.
