Oyo Govt, UNICEF partner on initiative to tackle malnutrition

The Oyo State Government and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) have committed to strengthen collaboration on food and nutrition security through the promotion of the “All Homes, A Garden” initiative in the state.

The initiative is aimed at encouraging households to cultivate food crops and vegetables in their backyards to improve access to fresh, nutritious and locally produced food, particularly for children and women.

The Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development, Mr Olasunkanmi Olaleye, stated this on Friday while receiving UNICEF’s Chief of Child Nutrition and Development, Mrs Nemat Hajeebhoy, who led a team on a courtesy visit to the ministry in Ibadan.

Olaleye said that locally produced food would provide households with fresh and nutritious alternatives to processed foods and complement government efforts towards achieving food security and improving nutritional wellbeing.

He said that the Gov. Seyi Makinde led administration had invested significantly in agriculture.

According to him, the food security being experienced in the state and neighbouring states was driven by the government’s huge investment in the sector.

He said that under the government’s 50 per cent tractorisation subsidy programme, about 39,000 acres of farmland have been ploughed across the state, with the government bearing 50 per cent of the cost of land preparation for beneficiaries.

The commissioner also said that the investment was a deliberate plan by the government to expand agricultural production, support farmers and strengthen the state’s food system.

Olaleye called for deeper collaboration between UNICEF and the ministry, particularly in areas that would improve household food production, nutrition and the wellbeing of vulnerable groups.

In her remarks, Hajeebhoy said the visit was aimed at strengthening the food and nutrition system in Oyo State to promote healthy growth and development of children and women, particularly pregnant women.

She commended the ministry for its efforts in improving food and nutrition security, noting that its contribution to addressing nutrition-related challenges could not be understated.

The UNICEF Chief of Child Nutrition and Development stressed that collaboration among relevant stakeholders remained critical to ensuring that children and women have access to adequate, safe and nutritious food.

Earlier, the Coordinating Director, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr Azeez Olaide welcomed the UNICEF delegation and expressed the ministry’s readiness to support initiatives aimed at improving food and nutrition outcomes.

Olaide noted that agriculture remained central to addressing food and nutrition challenges and emphasised the importance of collaboration among government institutions and development partners.