ICYMI: Bauchi State Government Urged to Co-opt Private Sector in Fight Against Malnutrition

By Muhammad Mukhtar Ibrahim.

Bauchi State Government has been called upon to co-opt the private sector, particularly those involved in the production of nutritious foods, into its strategic plans to help achieve its goal of combating malnutrition, especially among young children.

This call was made by Olusesi Oliyode, a specialist with the Catalyzing Strengthened Policy Action for Healthy Diets and Resilience (CASCADE) programme, during a special meeting organized by the initiative in Bauchi to bring together government stakeholders and the private sector.

According to Oliyode, the aim of the meeting was to unite actors from both the public and private sectors to identify existing gaps and develop strategies to address them.

He noted that statistics indicate that Bauchi State ranks among the states with a high prevalence of children suffering from malnutrition.

He added that this situation prompted the programme to undertake the initiative in Bauchi, alongside three other states.

The two-day meeting was attended by leaders of associations of producers of nutritious foods, as well as representatives from the Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning, the Ministries of Agriculture and Health, and the Ministry of Women Affairs and Child Development.

According to Oliyode, collaboration has become essential because inadequate nutrition is currently one of the major causes of various childhood illnesses.

He emphasized the need for a structured approach that fosters cooperation between the government and the private sector in the production of nutritious foods to combat hunger.

While contributing at the meeting, Alhaji Babaji Garba Rauta, Director of Donor Intervention at the Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning, stated that such collaboration would encourage small-scale food processors by boosting their confidence and capacity to operate effectively, while also assisting the government in addressing malnutrition.

Similarly, Dr. Obodize Chime, Chairman of the Scaling Up Business Network (SBN) in the state, highlighted challenges faced by the private sector, including bureaucracy and low public awareness of the dangers posed if the issue is not addressed.

He called on the state government to consistently involve the private sector in its programmes so they can contribute to the production of nutritious foods, particularly for children, in order to eliminate the problem.