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SPOTLIGHTS
- Cooking demonstrations promoting fortified rice are being held across seven LGAs in Kebbi State
- The initiative aims to integrate fortified rice into school feeding programmes and reduce malnutrition
- The First Lady of Kebbi State has pledged to support the initiative by purchasing and distributing fortified rice to schools
From Olanrewaju Lawal, Birnin Kebbi
The Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN) and the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP), in partnership with the Kebbi State Committee on Food and Nutrition (SCFN), are hosting a series of cooking demonstrations featuring fortified rice across seven Local Government Areas (LGAs) in Kebbi State.
This initiative builds on the ongoing collaboration between the Kebbi State Government, GAIN, and WFP through the Promoting Rice Fortification in Nigeria (PRiFN) Project.
The demonstrations aim to raise awareness about the nutritional benefits of fortified rice and facilitate its smooth integration into the state’s school feeding programmes.
During the inaugural event held at Government Day Secondary School Girls, Jega, Her Excellency, Hajiya Nasare Nasiru Idris, wife of the Kebbi State Governor, expressed her appreciation for GAIN and WFP’s support in enhancing the state’s nutritional status.
Hajiya Idris pledged to personally purchase and distribute bags of fortified rice to schools participating in the pilot programme. This action aims to gradually introduce fortified rice into school menus and encourage school heads to adopt it as a replacement for unfortified rice.
Hajiya Aisha Usman, the SCFN State Chairperson, emphasised the critical role fortified rice can play in reducing malnutrition rates in Kebbi State. She announced the Committee’s commitment to mirroring the First Lady’s generous initiative by purchasing and distributing additional bags of fortified rice to schools.
The Principal of the host school, Kadijatu Muslim of Government Day Secondary School Girls, Jega, received a bag of fortified rice donated by Her Excellency. She expressed her gratitude to the First Lady and Kebbi SCFN for their leadership in combating malnutrition and confirmed the school’s commitment to purchasing and using fortified rice in student meals.
The cooking demonstrations will continue in Aliero, Bunza, Dandi, Yauri, Gwandu, and Koko Besse LGAs, with Her Excellency, Hajiya Nasare Nasir Idris, serving as the Chief Host for each event.
