Vice-President Kashim Shettima on Tuesday unveiled the ‘Nutrition 774 Initiative’, framework for the Federal Government’s nutrition programme aimed at addressing malnutrition and food insecurity in the country.
Shetima explained that the initiative is expected to improve nutritional outcomes across all 774 local government areas of Nigeria.
He added the programme adopts a grassroots-driven approach, empowering local actors to take charge of nutritional improvements in their communities as well as investment in local capacity through the training of health workers and community leaders.
According to him, “The priority with which President Tinubu has pursued food availability has gone hand-in-hand with our commitment to eradicating malnutrition.
“Our aspiration as a nation goes beyond the mere abundance of food in our barns and warehouses. We cannot claim victory unless there is certainty that each household across Nigeria has access to the preferred and prescribed diets essential for a healthy life.”
The Vice President urged “Development partners to support the proposed initiative, recognizing the crucial role of collaboration in addressing the nation’s nutritional challenges. This initiative must be owned by our development partners just as much as it is by the government, for each of us is a stakeholder in the emergence of a healthy, stable Nigeria.
“Nutrition 774 Initiative is an assurance to all Nigerians—young and old, single and married, from North to South. It assures us that balancing the diets of our nation is not just an aspiration but a mission we must pursue with purpose and passion,” he stated.
The Vice President further noted that while Nigeria grapples with recent floods and global inflationary pressures affecting food security, “our response must not only be innovative; it must also address these challenges directly.”
