The Civil Society-Scaling Up Nutrition in Nigeria recently brought together nutrition/health coalitions and the media in Nasarawa state to harmonize efforts geared towards scaling up Nutrition interventions in the state. At a two-day meeting in the state, Mercy Asso, the State Chapter Coordinator stated that the meeting was necessitated to channel collective efforts to actualize CS-SUNN’s vision of ensuring that Nasarawa residents have food and nutrition security.
The Representative of the Director, Planning, Research and Statistics, Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning (MFBNP) commended CS-SUNN, on behalf of the Chairman State Committee on Food and Nutrition, for supporting some nutrition interventions in the state. He noted that budget performance in the state for 2019 was below expectation and called for increased advocacy efforts in that regard. He revealed that the budget line for all implementing MDAs in the 2020 budget has been approved, tasking MDAs to write convincing memos that will receive quick approval.
With focus on scaling up nutrition interventions in the state, the meeting achieved the following:
- Strengthened collaboration among CSOs and Media
- Harmonized Nutrition Asks
- Development of a strategic and achievable advocacy action plan
Key action steps agreed at the end of the meeting were to:
- Conduct an advocacy visit to the Commission for Local Governments and LGA chairmen in the state on the need to allocate nutrition budget lines at LGA level.
- Conduct an advocacy visit to Her Excellency, wife of the Executive Governor of the State on the need to increase maternity leave from three to six months
- Produce a documentary or jingle to sensitize rural women to embrace the practice of Exclusive Breastfeeding
- Conduct an advocacy visit to media houses for improved collaboration with CSOs
