Nutrition and Agricultural Stakeholders Call for Interventions to Close Worsening Food Gaps
LAGOS—Experts at the 2026 Nestlé Summit urged integrated food systems to fight malnutrition. They backed public-private investment in biofortification and storage to aid vulnerable families.
Health, nutrition, and agricultural experts have issued a joint call for an integrated approach to food production and distribution networks to combat rising malnutrition and stunting metrics across the federation.
The call anchored proceedings at the 2026 Nestlé for Good Summit in Lagos, which brought together policymakers from the Nutrition Society of Nigeria and regional agriculture ministries. Experts highlighted that Nigeria is currently navigating a complex food system crisis, managing high rates of micronutrient deficiencies alongside escalating diet-related chronic conditions.
Industry stakeholders, including representatives from IDH Nigeria, stressed that agricultural productivity metrics alone cannot solve nutritional deficits if vulnerable households lack the real purchasing power to access balanced diets.
The summit concluded with a mandate for increased private-public investments in crop biofortification, clean post-harvest storage systems, and regenerative agriculture programs to stabilize food accessibility in urban and rural centers alike.
Sponsored
Related stories
Agriculture
Abakaliki Rice Mill: Ebonyi’s N171bn Neglected Goldmine
Nigeria's largest rice mill, operating since 1967, processes 132,000 tonnes of rice annually—worth over N171 billion—yet operates without power, safe working conditions, or good roads. As the state's entire IGR sits at just N17.18 billion, analysts ask how a facility generating ten times that amount has been allowed to decay into a "prostrate goldmine."
Agriculture
Seaweed Could Transform Nigeria’s Agricultural Energy Sector
SMEFUNDS CEO Dr. Femi Oye advocates for seaweed as a renewable energy source to power Nigeria’s food production, offering a circular solution for farmers and small businesses.
Agriculture
Babalola’s Farmer Support Hits N98m
Legal icon Aare Afe Babalola has disbursed N11.2 million to 81 outstanding farmers across Ekiti State's 16 local government areas, bringing total awards under his annual agricultural scheme since 2015 to N98 million.
Agriculture
FG Launches African Swine Fever Control Campaign in Southwest
The Federal Government has launched a major African Swine Fever control and biosecurity campaign at the Oke-Aro Pig Farm Estate, distributing protective kits to farmers and pledging comprehensive training to prevent future outbreaks. The intervention by the Livestock Productivity and Resilience Support Project (L-PRES) targets one of Nigeria's largest pig production clusters, which has suffered devastating losses from the highly contagious disease in the past.
Comments (0)
Leave a comment
All comments are moderated before publishing. Your email is never published.