By Yemi Monday
Though it has been stressed that every child has the right to food and nutrition, yet in Bauchi and Gombe States (North East Nigeria), more than 80% of children, six to 23 months experience chronic food poverty.
These children are not fed the minimum diverse diet they need to grow and develop to their full potential, thereby hindering their normal growth and development.
The assertion was contained in a presentation made by the UNICEF Bauchi Field Office Nutrition Group during the end of the year 2023 review meeting organized by State Governments and UNICEF Bauchi Field Office held at Emerald Hill Hotel, Gombe, on Tuesday.
The group lamented that the situation has been exacerbated by consistent rise in prices of food commodities and agricultural inputs, climate change, free fall of Naira and withdrawal of fuel subsidy by the Federal Government.
The Group further stressed that lack of balance diets have negative effects on the development of the child thereby exposing him to severe acute malnutrition.
According to the Nutrition Group, the Lessons Learned include, Integration of Nutrition and Health Services through the distribution of SQ-LNS which led to increased uptake in immunization, birth registration and family planning as mothers are encouraged to bring immunization cards during MIYCN sessions.
The group commended that the decision by Bauchi UNICEF Field Office, significantly reached high number of children with improved nutrition services.
Also, the adoption of positive behavior and practices which in order to address some of the negative norms and practices, necessitated advocacy visits to Community Leaders, Religious Leaders and Fathers for the delivery of key SBCC messages.
This has empowered the Community Leaders, Religious Leaders and Fathers leading to addressing the harmful Gender Norms associated with the system.
As way forward, the group advocated for the rolled out of SQLNS Program in other Bauchi Field Office States just as continuous resource mobilization for procurement and local production of SQ-LNS Inclusion of SQ-LNS in Essential Medicines List in Nigeria should be encouraged.
The Group further suggested for the cultivation of Orange Flesh Sweet Potatoes, Sustain Gender- Responsive to MIYCF Social and Behavioural Change as well as Positive Parenting.
Also suggested is the roll out of Complementary Feeding Bowl and Spoon, Monitoring and Coordination, Knowledge management and learning.
The group also suggested for Partnerships Alive and Thrive fhi360, which has led to the scale up of BFHI in 20 LGAs in Bauchi State and 11 LGAs in Gombe State
Another form of partnership is the Scale up of Home Garden and cultivation of Climate Resistance Orange Flesh Sweet Potatoes, CITA Harvest Plus Transforming African Agriculture, CGIAR Better Crops, Better Nutrition.
There should also be Production of Handbook on Sorghum, Millet, Maize, Cowpea, Soybean, Groundnut And Orange Flesh Sweet Potato Recipes Along With Micro-Processing Of Grains, Food Fortification, Bio-Fortification Of Food Crops And Packaging Of Processed Food.
