Child Nutrition: Borno, FAO, Collaborate To Tackle Shortage

By Ayodele Oni

Borno State Government and the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) are collaborating to boost child nutrition  and combat food shortage in the state.

The state Governor, Babagana Zulum, also announced an increase in funding to support child nutrition initiatives in the state.

This is an effort to combat food insecurity and malnutrition, particularly among children under five.

Governor Zulum spoke during a roundtable discussion on scaling up a nutrient-dense product, organized by the Borno State Government in collaboration with the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) in Abuja.

The product, Tom Brown, is a locally produced food supplement designed to address malnutrition among children under five and lactating mothers.

The governor also revealed plans to establish a Tom Brown production facility in the state to enhance food and nutrition security, empower farmers and create job opportunities.

“I want to assure you that Borno State will increase its funding portfolio to the child nutrition basket fund,” while reaffirming his administration’s commitment to tackling malnutrition as part of a broader strategy to enhance social and economic resilience.

“This initiative marks a significant milestone in our efforts to combat malnutrition, strengthen food security, and create sustainable economic opportunities for our people.”

According to him, Borno State has been at the forefront of initiatives designed to strengthen food security, including the Tom Brown programme in collaboration with FAO and other development partners.

The governor called on the federal government and relevant agencies to support nutrition-sensitive policies and prioritize locally produced food supplements.

This, he added will be in alignment with the 2025 Humanitarian Response Plan which emphasizes the need for integrated, multi-sectoral interventions to address food insecurity and malnutrition in Borno and across the North East.