Kwara trains local councils on nutrition to fight malnutrition at grassroots
The Kwara State Government has launched a capacity building workshop aimed at strengthening food and nutrition programmes at the grassroots, with a renewed push to tackle malnutrition through local government action.
The training, organised for Local Government Committees on Food and Nutrition Programme in Kwara North Senatorial District, held at the headquarters of Moro Local Government Area in Bode-Saadu, bringing together stakeholders tasked with driving nutrition policy implementation at council level.
Declaring the workshop open, the Commissioner for Local Government, Chieftaincy Affairs and Community Development, Abubakar Abdullahi Bata, called on local councils across the state to deepen their commitment to food and nutrition policies, describing them as critical to human capital development.
Represented by the Director of Community Development, Abdulateef Mustapha, the commissioner said the AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq administration has put in place structures to support effective implementation of nutrition programmes across the state.
He warned that malnutrition remains a persistent but often overlooked challenge, with wide-reaching consequences on child development, education outcomes, productivity, and the healthcare system.
“Malnutrition negatively affects children’s growth, reduces school performance, lowers productivity and increases pressure on the healthcare system,” he noted, urging councils to ensure adequate budgetary provisions and technical support for sustained intervention.
The commissioner further charged members of the Local Government Committees, including vice chairpersons, heads of health and agriculture departments, and nutrition focal persons, to work collaboratively to ensure the success of the programme.
He added that the ministry would continue to support initiatives aimed at improving living standards, particularly at the community level where the impact of malnutrition is most visible.
Earlier in his remarks, the Vice Chairman of Moro Local Government Area, Suleiman AbdulRazaq Adaara, commended the state government for sustaining the nutrition programme across all local government areas in the state.
He, however, noted that more effort was still required at council level, adding that steps were being taken to strengthen financial backing for effective implementation.
The workshop featured experts from the State Ministry of Planning and Economic Development, the State Primary Health Care Agency, and the Ministry of Local Government, Chieftaincy Affairs and Community Development.
Participants engaged in interactive sessions where policy documents, implementation guidelines, and programme strategies were reviewed and discussed, with a focus on improving delivery at the grassroots.
The training drew participants from the five local government areas in Kwara North, including Baruten, Kaiama, Edu and Patigi, while similar sessions are expected to hold in Kwara Central and Kwara South senatorial districts.
Several participants described the initiative as timely, noting that it could help strengthen the fight against malnutrition and improve wellbeing across communities in the state.
