Nutrition: CSO Calls For Domestic Funding, Strategic Resource Mobilisation

The Civil Society Scaling-Up Nutrition in Nigeria (CS-SUNN) has stressed the need for improved domestic funding and resource mobilisation for nutrition in the country.

Executive secretary of CS-SUNN, Mr. Sunday Okoronkwo, stated this at a media roundtable on Investing in Nutrition for Human Capital Development In Nigeria, recently in Abuja.

Okoronkwo noted that nutrition plays plays a vital role in Human Capital Development (HCD), serving as the cornerstone for the physical and mental well-being of individuals.

He said deficiencies in essential nutrients result in malnutrition, adversely impacting both the health and productivity of individuals. It is therefore important to recognize that malnutrition not only undermines an individual’s health but also exerts a profound toll on economic prosperity, hindering the nation’s progress towards achieving its Human Capital Development goals.

“Nigeria’s HCD Vision is for “Healthy, Educated and Productive Nigerians by the Year 2030”, with targets across three thematic areas; namely Health and Nutrition, Education and Labour Force Participation is a strategic move towards addressing poverty and fostering sustainable economic growth through investments in health/nutrition, education, and workforce participation.

“The recent approval by the Vice President and the establishment of a multi-sectoral committee to spearhead the federal government’s Human Capital Development programme signify a significant step in enhancing Nigeria’s human capital index with a renewed focus on health and nutrition, labor force participation, and education, coupled with a comprehensive framework for monitoring and evaluation,” he stated.

However, amidst these commendable efforts,  Okoronkwo worried that there is a pressing concern: the persistent challenge of malnutrition.

He said “Despite ongoing initiatives, Nigeria continues to grapple with alarming rates of malnutrition, posing a barrier to unlocking the nation’s human capital potential. The 2020 HCI of Nigeria according to the assessment by World Bank is currently 0.36; ranking two out of 157 countries, reflecting the urgent need for concerted action to address this. In addition, budgetary allocations for nutrition remain insufficient, and release rates are dismally low

“CS-SUNN underscores the key role of nutrition in driving human capital development. Malnutrition not only undermines investments in health and education but also perpetuates a cycle of poverty and underdevelopment.”

The organisation therefore, called for innovative financing mechanisms to bridge the existing gap, emphasizing the need for increased domestic funding and strategic resource mobilisation.