BY IFEANYI UWAGWU/FAVOUR OLISADEME
IN an effort to address Nigeria’s ongoing food security challenges, the Civil Society Scaling up Nutrition in Nigeria (CS-SUNN) has trained its members on homestead gardening and proposal writing. This initiative is aimed at alleviating food insecurity, as recent data from the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) highlighted that nearly 31.8 million Nigerians are at risk of acute food insecurity.
During his goodwill message at the workshop, CS-SUNN State Coordinator Mr. John Ogbeide explained that the training is part of the organization’s contribution towards improving both food and nutrition security in the country. He emphasized that the workshop’s objective was to build participants’ capacity and advocate for critical issues related to food security.
The Permanent Secretary of Delta State’s Ministry of Environment, Dr. Minnie Oseji, expressed her delight at participating in the event. She applauded CS-SUNN for its decade-long efforts and emphasized the importance of the workshop in supporting the global World Food Day initiative. Dr. Oseji reaffirmed her commitment to combating hunger and enhancing food security in Delta State and across the nation.
Former CS-SUNN National Project Director, Mrs. Beatrice Eluaka, also addressed the participants, urging them to apply the knowledge gained from the workshop. She raised concerns over the alarming hunger and malnutrition statistics in Nigeria, which include poor breastfeeding practices and high rates of stunted growth in children.
The event was formally declared open by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Economic Planning, Mr. Frank Isume, who was represented by Mrs. Martina Amromanoh, Director of the Overseas Development Assistance Department. In his remarks, Mr Isume encouraged participants to start small-scale gardens around their homes and called on the organizers to share key recommendations from the workshop.
The workshop’s key resource person, Dr. Aghogho Akpe, a public health expert, focused on the importance of homestead gardening as a way to combat hunger and improve food security. She highlighted Nigeria’s troubling malnutrition statistics, noting that the country has the highest number of stunted children in Sub-Saharan Africa and the second-highest globally, with 37% of children under five stunted, 18% wasted, and 29% underweight. Dr. Akpe provided detailed training on starting a homestead garden, covering topics such as soil preparation, fertilizers, pest control, and seed quality.
Another resource person, Mr. Daniel Akpan, trained participants on proposal writing, which would enable them to attract funding for their food security projects. He walked participants through the proposal development process, including proposal types, components, and packaging.
The workshop organizers emphasized that proposal writing skills will be crucial for participants in securing funding to support homestead gardening initiatives, which are critical to tackling food insecurity in the country.
