From Okwe Obi, Abuja
Global Alliance for Improve Nutrition (GAIN), has said Nigeria loses $1.5 billion annually in Gross Domestic Product (GDP), to macronutrient deficiencies.
Country Director of GAIN, Dr Michael Ojo, disclosed this at the launch of Fisheries and Aquaculture Policy Brief, titled: ‘Transformation and Future of Aquatic Food Systems in Nigeria’, yesterday in Abuja.
Ojo lamented that the country seems plagued by what he called ‘double burden of malnutrition, undernutrition’ which leads to overweight, obesity.
“Nigeria is plagued by a double burden of malnutrition: undernutrition exists alongside overweight, obesity, micronutrient deficiencies, and associated diet related non-communicable diseases.
“Nigeria loses 1.5 billion dollars in Gross Domestic Product (GDP) annually to micronutrient deficiencies, and dietary inadequacies are one of the most pressing reasons for people experiencing multiple nutrient deficiencies and subsequent morbidity and mortality in Nigeria.
“Aquatic foods have considerable potential in helping to fill this nutrient gap and improve the quality of our diets,” he said.
Meanwhile, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Mohammad Mahmood Abubakar, pointed out how he mandated his team to ensure food availability to improve nutrition and create jobs, fisheries and aquaculture because it provides the cheapest form of protein.
He said: “Since my posting as Minister to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development- a ministry very dear to the heart of Mr. President, I have tasked my team on how we can work to sustainably make agricultural products available to the average Nigeria so as to improve nutrition and create jobs and fisheries and aquaculture is at the heart of this objective, because it provides the cheapest form of protein.
“Aquaculture as we are all aware is the fastest growing sector to increasing fish production and I have mandated the department to work towards increasing aquaculture production by an additional 250,000MT since I assumed office, this is to help us create an additional 1.1 million jobs in the sector.
“We are working towards this goal and I encourage everyone present at this launch to support this initiative. Let us also work together to protect the aquatic environment from the effects of pollution, overfishing, and climate change for the benefit of future generations.”