By Chidinma Ewunonu-Aluko
A dietician at the University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan, Mr Tunde Ajobo, says Nigeria should urgently bridge the gap between food availability and nutritional adequacy.
Ajobo said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday in Ibadan, at the sideline of the celebration of the World Food Day (WFD).
He also underscored the need for Nigerians to ensure healthy meal and a future where no one would be left behind.
NAN reports that the 2024 WFD was celebrated on Wednesday with the theme: “Right to Foods For a Better Life and Better Future: Leave No One Behind.”
“The right to foods is not merely the right to have food on the table but the right to access sufficient, safe, and nutritious food that supports an active and healthy life.
“Enshrined in the International Covenant on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights, this right is recognised by over 170 countries, emphasising that food is not just a commodity — it is a lifeline that upholds human dignity and rights.
“We must remember that the right to foods is inextricably linked to other fundamental human rights such as the right to life, health, and an adequate standard of living.
“Governments and stakeholders have an obligation to respect, protect, and fulfill this right, ensuring that no one is deprived of access to food due to circumstances beyond their control.
“Key dimensions of this right include:availability- Sufficient quantities of food should be available to meet people’s needs.
“Accessibility: Food must be physically and economically accessible to everyone and adequacy- the food provided must be nutritious and meet the dietary needs of individuals, ensuring optimal health,” Ajobo said.
On food security, he said that farmers and farms must be protected across the country in line with the law.
This, he said, would encourage the farmers to devote more time to the production of local foods to boost productivity.
According to him, tractors should be provided by government to all entrusted farmers for easy cultivation of their farm.
“This can be made available in all the Local Government Areas.
“It can be given at no cost or less cost, good hybrid crops that are resistant to infection with good yielding qualities should be given to farmers.
“The Ministry of Agriculture must be active in local government, state and federal to monitor farm produce and animal produce and offer necessary assistance to farmers.
“All government/private schools should go into farming and be rewarded for good farm practices . This will boost food production even if it is vegetable alone,” he said.
Ajobo said that farm settlements should be given a priority by government, adding that it would produce more job opportunities for the youth and foster their interest in agriculture.
“The Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) said that nearly 690 million people were undernourished in 2019.
“This crisis has not only deepened hunger worldwide but has also made food security an urgent global concern.
“Closer to home, 26.5 million Nigerians were projected to face severe hunger by the second quarter of 2024 (FAO, 2023).
“This alarming figure highlights the ongoing challenges our nation faces in the areas of food production, economic instability, conflict, and climate-related issues, all of which continue to disrupt food supply chains.
“In the light of these pressing issues, our focus today must go beyond the mere availability of food; we need to arrest hunger before hunger arrests us,” Ajobo said. (NAN)
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