The Civil Society Scaling Up Nutrition in Nigeria (CS-SUNN) has supported the Kaduna State Government’s Committee on Food and Nutrition (SCFN) in validating the revised Food and Nutrition Policy 2026–2030.
CS-SUNN also assisted the SCFN in validating the Kaduna Multi-sectoral Strategic Plan of Action on Nutrition (KDMSPAN).
In June 2024, the SCFN reviewed the policy, originally produced in 2017 and set to run until 2025.
Speaking at the opening of a five-day validation meeting on Monday in Abuja, Commissioner Mukhtar Ahmed thanked CS-SUNN for its unwavering dedication to nutrition in Kaduna State.
Ahmed, represented by Mrs Priscilla Dariya, Deputy Director at the Planning and Budget Commission’s Development Aid Coordination Department, said the meeting would foster knowledge sharing and innovative solutions.
He noted that both the policy and the strategic plan were being brought together for validation and for the development of the annual operational plan.
The Commissioner described the document as a crucial five-year guide for implementing nutrition activities across Kaduna State.
He explained that the validation process would ensure alignment with national policies, global best practices, and state-specific priorities.
Ahmed reaffirmed the state’s commitment to supporting, protecting, and promoting nutrition, thanking CS-SUNN and other partners for their efforts in tackling malnutrition.
Presenting an overview, the State Nutrition Officer, Mrs Ramatu Haruna, said Kaduna had 2,127,551 children under five years old, including 212,755 aged between six and eleven months.
She added that 1,702,041 were aged twelve to fifty-nine months, alongside 531,888 pregnant women.
Comparing the 2018 and 2023/2024 surveys, she noted that stunting had declined from 48.1 per cent to 40.79 per cent, indicating progress in reducing chronic malnutrition.
However, wasting rose from 4.8 per cent to 5.9 per cent, and underweight cases increased from 22.1 per cent to 24.7 per cent, showing a decline in children’s nutritional status.
Also Read: UNICEF Holds Media Dialogue on Child Nutrition in Jigawa
She said the prevalence of Severe Acute Malnutrition across all LGAs underscored the urgent need for stronger nutrition interventions.
Haruna urged the prioritisation of affected LGAs for targeted prevention and treatment to halt further deterioration and improve nutritional outcomes.
CS-SUNN Executive Secretary, Mr Sunday Okoronkwo, stressed that malnutrition impedes cognitive development, weakens immunity, and reduces long-term productivity.
He called for a comprehensive strategy using data-driven solutions and resource mobilisation to address the issue.
Okoronkwo said the approach should identify needs, serve as a roadmap, and define roles for both government and partners.
He stressed the moral duty to protect vulnerable children and urged strong stakeholder commitment to a workable plan for combating malnutrition.
World Bank ANRiN Project Manager, Dr Zainab Muhammad-Idris, expressed support for validating Kaduna’s policy and plan, noting their alignment with national and state nutrition agendas.
She said the process would incorporate new developments and build on past collaborations.
Muhammad-Idris highlighted the Human Capital Development Initiative, chaired by Deputy Governor Hadiza Balarabe, which focuses on nutritional activities, adding that more issues must be considered during the review and validation of the documents.
