Stephen Enoch
TechnoServe, an international nonprofit that promotes business solutions to poverty in collaboration with the United Nations World Food Program (WFP), has trained journalists and Nutrition officers on rice fortification in Kano.
Fortification enriches rice with essential vitamins and minerals to increase its nutritional value.
TechnoServe and its partners are advocating for the inclusion of fortified rice in Kano State’s school feeding program to ensure that school children have access to nutritious meals.
The initiative is to contribute to better health outcomes and improve students’ learning capacity.
Raising awareness among media personnel and nutrition officers about the importance of fortified rice, particularly its role in reducing malnutrition in school-aged children was the focused event.
Idris Zakari Ya’u, the Director of Public Enlightenment at the Ministry of Information who represented the Kano Commissioner of Information assured that the state government supports the initiative.
“The government is happy with this partnership, and on behalf of the government, we are committed to supporting the implementation of this program,” he said.
He also expressed the government’s readiness to collaborate with TechnoServe and other stakeholders to ensure the success of the rice fortification initiative.
Ekene Onyeagba, leader of the WFP’s food fortification program in Nigeria, emphasized the importance of fortified rice in addressing malnutrition, particularly among vulnerable groups such as children under five and adolescent girls.
“Rice fortification is a key strategy in ensuring that children receive the essential vitamins and minerals they need to grow healthy,” Onyeagba explained.
He pointed out that Kano, known for its high rice production, was selected due to the alarming rates of malnutrition in the region.
The WFP Leader added that the rice fortification project aims to reduce malnutrition by adding essential nutrients such as iron, zinc, folic acid, and vitamin B12 making rice a more nutritious food option.
According to him, these fortified nutrients are crucial in combating micronutrient deficiencies like anaemia, which affects many children and pregnant women in Nigeria.
Seun Elere, Project Manager at TechnoServe, shared insights into the organization’s role in the rice fortification space, explaining that TechnoServe has been at the forefront of food fortification in Nigeria.
“Since the federal government’s pronouncement on rice fortification in 2020, TechnoServe has been an active partner in implementing this project,” Elere stated.
He further highlighted the importance of engaging local rice producers, from small-scale to large-scale millers, to ensure that fortified rice reaches every corner of the state.
Elere encouraged journalists to use their platforms to educate the public about the benefits of fortified rice, particularly in rural communities with high malnutrition rates.
“Fortified rice is safe for consumption, and it can help reduce malnutrition, especially in areas where people are most vulnerable,” Elere said.
The event had stakeholders, including government officials, nutrition experts, and representatives from the private sector.
