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An NGO, Global Alliance for Improved Nigeria, says Nigerians are more vulnerable when talking about foods that lack vitamin A and access to other nutrients.
Dr Michael Ojo, the Country Director of the NGO that specialised in food and nutrition, made the call during an online media briefing on Friday in Abuja.
Ojo, however, called for improved balanced diet among Nigerians to encourage development.
He said that the foods being supplied to Nigerians might be lacking the required nutrients.
According to him, this is why the NGO is engaging in effective information dissemination to Nigerians about the types of food they should eat.
“We are focussing on the informal markets.
“This is where majority of people buy their foods; in the open markets, closed markets, village markets and even, in the city markets where people bring their things to sell,” he said.
Ojo said that the project was aimed at ensuring cost-effectiveness of foods in the markets and means for people to get access to nutritious foods.
According to him, the NGO’s target is to ensure that crops which have been biologically fortified with vitamin A and every other food nutrients are made available in the markets.
He added that the focus was to see how the NGO could scale-up the cultivation of these crops in the zones where they were being produced abundantly.
“The NGO is also eliciting demand for the crops for consumption to meet up with the Nigerians needs,” he said.
Ojo also said that the NGO was set to build capacity, specifically on the food system and to respond to the cases of malnutrition.
He said the NGO was working with the financial regulations on foods supply, provide technical and financial support and policy formulation for Nigerians in need of nutritious foods.
(NAN)
