Nigeria: FG Launches Food Consumption and Micronutrient Survey To Boost Nutritional Status

The Federal Government has launched the National Food Consumption and Micronutrient Survey 2021, to improve the overall nutritional status and maternal and child health.

The National Food Consumption and Micronutrient Survey 2021 is a cross-sectional population-based survey, to assess the micronutrient status and dietary intake of women of reproductive age, pregnant women, and lactating mothers, teenagers as well as children between six months and fifty-nine months.

The survey also provides the government and stakeholders with evidence of nutrition vulnerability and opportunities for the formulation of evidence-based policies and programmes.

At the event in Abuja, the Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Muhammed Ali-Pate noted that the country was undergoing an epidemiological transition where non-communicable diseases were emerging.

Professor Muhammed Ali-Pate noted that Nigeria was undergoing a nutritional transition which the survey addresses.

”This report marks a shift from faith-based to evidence-based policymaking, which will enhance nutritional outcomes.

Professor Pate therefore called on federal and sub-national governments, and development partners, to conduct mini-launches in each state of the federation.

”This will help tailor the data and strategies to local contexts, thereby expanding nutritional education and diversifying diets,” he added.

The Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security, Dr Aliyu Abdullahi observed that the report underscores the urgency for innovative strategies to promote nutrient-rich food consumption.

”It provides valuable data on vegetable and fruit production, animal husbandry and other factors shaping our food systems that feed into components. ”

Alarmingly, severity four reveals the high prevalence of meconium strains, inadequacies among women of reproductive age, and inadequate dietary diversity among children aged six to 23 months.”

According to Dr Abdullahi, ”It underscores the urgency for innovative strategies to promote nutrient-rich foods consumption alongside stiffness to detail assessment of nutritional status among children, women, and adolescents are provided along with coverage of national interventions aimed at improving micronutrient status.”

He pointed out that the survey highlights the inadequate implementation of key nutrition interventions which underscores the need for better companies to enhance maternal and child health to dietary diversity.

”Persistently low dietary diversity, impaired micronutrient intake, necessitating innovations in food systems to promote nutrient-rich food consumption.”

Three animal protein deficiency menu may fall short of protein intake requirements due to low consumption of animal protein emphasizing the need for pathogens to boost its production and consumption.”

The Agriculture Minister said that the survey reflects the government’s commitment to addressing the root causes of hunger and malnutrition in the country.

”As stewards of this noble cause, it is a little bit upon us to heed the call to action embedded within all of this, and in particular, the mandate,” he added.

The Director, Nutrition Department, Ministry of Health, Mrs. Ladidi Bako Aiyegbusi confirmed that the survey was conducted in twelve states and seventy-two local government areas.

”We targeted adolescents between 10 and 14 years, we targeted women within reproductive age who were not pregnant, those that were pregnant, and women that were breastfeeding.”

”We looked at the prevalence and distribution of different micronutrient deficiencies, the status of micronutrient intake and coverage of key interventions were revealed existing national micronutrient Strategy is a strategy being implemented.”

Mrs Aiyegbusi who highlighted some key challenges encountered during the birth of the survey, commended all development partners, Ministries, and agencies for the success story.

The Chief Nutrition for UNICEF Nigeria, Nemat Hajeebhoy, said the survey represents the multiplicity of all the regions of Nigeria/

”The launch is historic, and it’s historic because this is the first time in over two decades that we have completed in Nigeria, a very, very large and complex survey.

”It is amongst the largest of its kind in this region, on the continent, and I believe perhaps in the world so there are many, many lessons.”

‘Innovations were used in the survey such as digital applications to collect dietary data for the first time, we know what Nigerians are eating, ”we have a detailed record, and we can use this effectively.”

”As UNICEF, we have been very proud to be associated with the survey, not just in terms of financing it and providing technical support, but because you as the government of Nigeria, entrusted us with being the fund managers for the survey and We hope we have lived up to your expectations,” she added.

Representatives of development partners, USAID, World Bank, WHO, and Gain who said the survey represents the diversity of all the regions of Nigeria, promised continuous support in closing the nutritional gap of the country.