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From Abel Leonard, Lafia
In a significant effort to combat the detrimental effects of malnutrition, the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN), a non-governmental organization, hosted a two-day workshop providing technical assistance on food product registration with the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC).
The event took place at the Ta’al Conference Hotel on Jos Road, Lafia, Nasarawa State.
Mrs Mercy Olorunfemi, project Manager, Business Support GAIN, extended a warm welcome to the attendees and highlighted the organization’s primary objective: the eradication of malnutrition-related problems.
Notably, she said the initiative is supported by the German government with a focus on strengthening food nutrition. The project spans five years, with three years already in the books, demonstrating GAIN’s dedication to making a lasting impact.
She added that GAIN’s mission extends to multiple states, with desk officers actively engaged in five key regions: “Nasarawa, Kaduna, Benue, Plateau, and Ogun. Through these officers and local initiatives, the organization aims to foster a healthier and more nutritious environment, addressing the critical issue of malnutrition that affects countless individuals across the nation.”
The workshop’s focus on NAFDAC requirements is an essential step towards ensuring that small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) can navigate the regulatory landscape while producing and distributing nutritionally sound food products.
In the pursuit of fostering growth and collaboration among small-scale businesses, Tomisin Odunmbaku, the National Coordinator of Scaling Up Nutrition (SUN) Business Network under the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition, emphasized the crucial need for SMEs to connect with one another.
Odunmbaku highlighted the existence of a dedicated networking platform where business owners can register, opening doors for both national and international patronage.
Daily Sun gathered that the SUN Business Network, is a prominent organization committed to improving nutrition, recognizes the power of networking in bolstering the capacity of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).
Tomisin underscored the importance of businesses uniting to create a dynamic network that not only amplifies their reach but also contributes to broader societal well-being.
Furthermore, Odunmbaku stressed that it’s not just about connecting with national and international entities; there’s an equally vital need for local business owners to collaborate and support each other.
“This support can come in various forms, such as sharing equipment or resources, fostering a sense of community among entrepreneurs, and ultimately, creating a more robust local business ecosystem.”
To formalize these collaborations and ensure that efforts are directed towards improving nutrition, the idea of signing Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs) was brought to the forefront.
“These MOUs can serve as a tangible commitment to working together towards a common goal: enhancing the nutritional landscape through the combined efforts of SMEs.” He stressed.
On his part, Pharm. Shaba Mohammed, North-Central Director of NAFDAC said that the agency intend to use the training to empower SMEs on how to register their products to get certification to operate without limit.
He explained that the thorough screening and inspection of facilities by the agency is to ensure that only food products that are safe for consumption are allowed into the market.
He added that the essence of the thorough procedure is to ensure that the food in the market are good for consumption and do not have side effect.
He explained that application for registration has been simplify now and can also be done online.
Participant, Mrs Amina Edo-Jatau, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of PJ Enterprise from Benue State expressed gratitude to GAIN for the opportunity to interface with NAFDAC on the process to register her company.
She explained that her company has not been registered and had limited her market to only family and friends who ordered for it because of lack of registration number.
“With this workshop, I can now register and begin to sale my products openly in the market,”
