Taiwo Hassan 
The Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security has disclosed that it is working closely with different stakeholders to promote food fortification in households and industrial levels, in a order to improved food security in the country. The Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Abubakar Kyari, stated this in an interview with New Telegraph in Lagos.
Kyari explained that his ministry was already bio fortifying staple crops such as maize, rice, cassava, sweet potato, millet, and sorghum with micronutrients and fortifying essential food commodities such as flour, salt, and cooking oil with key vitamins and minerals, in efforts towards combating malnutrition via food fortification in the country.
The agric minister said: “Central to our efforts in combating malnutrition is the imperative of food fortification, a cost-effective and evidence-based strategy for enhancing the nutritional quality of staple foods. “In the Ministry, we are collaborating with different stakeholders to promote from bio to food fortification at household and industrial levels. “By bio fortifying staple crops such as maize, rice, cassava, sweet potato, millet, and sorghum with micronutrients and fortifying essential food commodities such as flour, salt, and cooking oil with key vitamins and minerals, we can significantly reduce the prevalence of nutrient deficiencies and improve the health outcomes of our population, particularly vulnerable groups such as children and pregnant women.”
While speaking on the role TechnoServe has been playing in the promotion of fortified foods in the country, Kyari stated: “Through their innovative programs, TechnoServe has been instrumental in addressing malnutrition and promoting food fortification. “Despite Nigeria’s vast agricultural potential, many of our citizens still suffer from malnutrition, especially among vulnerable populations such as children and pregnant women.
“Techno Serve’s holistic approach to nutrition, which includes promoting the adoption of fortified foods and empowering local communities to take ownership of their food systems, has yielded promising results.” According to him, “so it is quite pleasure to participate in the Micronutrient Fortification Index (MFI) Award presentation to the organisations that have harken to the call and fortified their products with the required micronutrients and also to witness the epoch making launch of the Millers for Nutrition (M4N).
“These are events that celebrate and incentivize companies to contribute in combating micronutrient deficiencies.” He pointed out that by harnessing the power of public-private partnerships and leveraging the expertise of organisations like TechnoServe, “we can overcome the challenges that stand in the way of achieving food security in Nigeria and across West Africa.
“Together, we have the opportunity to build a more resilient, inclusive, and sustainable food system that ensures no one is left behind.” On the state of farm inputs in the country’s agricultural sector, the agric minister explained that “we are also working on improving efficiency in our value chains through mechanisation. “The recent Memorandum of Understanding with John Deere to increase the number of tractors by 10,000 in the country at the rate of 2000 per annum is one such effort. The Green Imperative with the Brazilian Government is another.”
