As part of its determination to tackle food insecurity in the country, the House of Representatives is set to host a National Summit on Nutrition and Food Security in Abuja between Tuesday and Thursday next week.
The House Committee on Nutrition and Food Security chairman, Hon. Chike Okafor, said the event is expected to be a turning point in Nigeria’s response to worsening food insecurity and poor nutrition outcomes nationwide.
Okafor, who spoke with journalists at the National Assembly in Abuja on Thursday, said the summit, which headlined this year’s House Open Week, is the result of a resolution by the 10th Assembly and reflects the legislature’s firm resolve to lead from the front in tackling one of Nigeria’s most critical human development challenges.
He said the summit’s theme, “Curbing Malnutrition and Food Insecurity Through Effective Synergies,” was designed as a multi-sectoral and multi-stakeholder engagement that will bring together actors from the Executive and Legislative arms across federal, state, and local levels, key development partners, civil society, and the private sector.
Okafor stressed that the goal is to harmonise legislative, policy, and programmatic responses, examine innovative financing mechanisms including public-private partnerships, develop resilient food systems in the face of climate and economic shocks, and strengthen oversight and accountability frameworks for nutrition-related programmes and budgets.
“This Summit reflects the resolve of the House of Representatives, 10th Assembly, to lead from the front in addressing one of Nigeria’s most pressing human development challenges. Together, let us build a nation where every child is well-nourished, every mother is healthy, and every household is food-secure,” he said.
