From HASSAN JIRGI Maiduguri
Borno State governor, Babagana Zulum has announced an increase in funding to support child nutrition initiatives.
This is an effort to combat food insecurity and malnutrition, particularly among children under-five.
Governor Zulum made the announcement during a high-level roundtable discussion on scaling up Tom Brown nutrient-dense product, organised by Borno State government in collaboration with the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation, FAO, in Abuja.
Tom Brown is a locally produced food supplement designed to address malnutrition among children under-five and lactating mothers.
Zulum also revealed plans to establish a Tom Brown production facility to enhance food and nutrition security, empower farmers and create job opportunities.
“I want to assure you that Borno State will increase its funding portfolio to the child nutrition basket fund.”
He, therefore, reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to tackle malnutrition as part of a broader strategy to enhance social and economic resilience.
According to him this initiative marks a significant milestone in our efforts to combat malnutrition, strengthen food security and create sustainable economic opportunities for our people.
Zulum added that Borno State has been at the forefront of initiatives designed to strengthen food security, including the Tom Brown programme in collaboration with FAO and other development partners.
He also appealed to the federal government and relevant agencies to support nutrition-sensitive policies and prioritise locally produced food supplements in alignment with the 2025 Humanitarian Response Plan which emphasizes the need for integrated and multi-sectoral interventions to address food insecurity and malnutrition in Borno and across the North-East.
