Harvest Plus, Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition and Niger State Government have concluded plans to host the 10th edition of the Nutritious Food Fair 2024 next month at Minna, Niger state capital.
HarvestPlus coordinates Nigeria’s staple crop biofortification program, which launched in 2010 to help address micronutrient deficiency—particularly vitamin A deficiency, which affects 30 percent of Nigerian children under five.
Musa Salihu Bawa Bosso, Commissioner for Agriculture in Niger State, disclosed this while interacting with newsmen in his office in Minna.
Musa Bawa Bosso highlighted that the milestone of the 10th edition of the food fair promised to bring together a diverse group of participants, from policymakers to researchers, farmers, and food processors, adding that the fair would offer a valuable opportunity to showcase innovations, exchange knowledge and address the latest developments in nutritious foods.
The Commissioner stated that Nutritious Food Fair is closely designed with the Niger State government’s mission to foster a vibrant, sustainable agricultural sector, assuring that the state government is committed to providing the supportive environment needed to attract investment in nutritious foods to enable residents have access to the essentials for a healthy life.
According to Bosso, “over 100 exhibitors, government officials, private sector leaders, and more than 500 attendees are expected to participate”.
He pointed out that the highlights of the fair will include panel discussions, business networking opportunities, a school quiz (Nutriquize), a cooking competition (Nutrikitchen), job clinics, the Smart Mother Initiative, entertainment, as well as hands-on training.
Bosso further stated that during the fair, the wife of the state governor, Hajiya Fatima Mohammed Umaru Bago, will be decorated as the “Smart mother of the state”.
He noted that the First Lady will advocate for accessible nutrition education for women across the state and empower them to make informed choices that support family health.
The HarvestPlus Nigeria Nutritious Food Fair is an annual event focused on promoting nutrient-rich foods, biofortification, and improving food systems for better health and climate resilience in Nigeria.
The main goal is to address malnutrition through biofortified crops, such as vitamin A in maize, and iron in millet developed to provide essential nutrients.
Yusuf Dollah, the Country Manager of Harvestplus Nigeria, commended Governor Muhammad Umaru Bago’s strides in his vision to take Agriculture to the next level for the benefit of all Nigerians.
Dollah said the Nutritious Food Fair aims to address nutrition challenges by bringing together critical stakeholders within the food and agricultural value chains to engage and advocate for improved nutrition sector investment across all levels.
He further noted that the event would add value to Niger state economy and support small businesses, strengthening the value chain.
Dollah added: “Women will receive special attention, with a focus on improving healthy diets.
“A job creation clinic will also be set up, targeting young unemployed individuals to take advantage of suitable job opportunities and become self-reliant.”
Also speaking, Olatundun Kalejaiye, the Nutrition and Food Systems Manager, explained that the fair is a strategic way of reaching out to everyone on the value chain of Agriculture, adding that the forum will add value to the crops that are produced from the farms as well as to grow the SMEs.
Olatundun noted that the fair will also bring many investors together to interact and pick up other business ideas, which will add value to the economy of the state, and also, the women who already had small businesses will be able to take up new businesses.
