Few weeks after attributing the high cost of rice to the habit of Nigerians, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Chief Audu Ogbeh has called on Nigerians to stop eating “anything they believe should be consumed.”
The Minister said this when he received a delegation, led by the Chief Medical Director of the University College Hospital, Ibadan and the Country Manager of Harvest Plus, in Ibadan.
Ogbeh observed that “most of our food contains too much carbohydrate”, adding that “eating well is not the same as eating much.
“If we feed better, illnesses and diseases will reduce.”
Chief Ogbeh pointed out that there was serious cases of malnourishment, with 37% of Nigerian children malnourished, and that this posed a threat to the future.
He thus stated that Government was making serious efforts to ensure that Nigerians ate well-balanced food.
“We need to spread the message far and wide”, Ogbe added.
Earlier, Chief Medical Director of the University College Hospital, Ibadan, Prof. Temitope Alonge expressed interest in the expansion of the University College Hospital Agricultural Initiative (UCHAI), through the UCH Ventures.
“The management of the hospital has deemed it necessary to expand UCHAI through UCH Ventures to accommodate retirees, some of who are still agile enough and willing to make a living through agriculture.
“The advent of fortification of staple foods in Nigeria through Harvest Plus will address epidemic of Diseases Related Malnutrition (DRM), which is a major but overt health challenge in hospitals”, he said.
Prof. Alonge stated further that for local food to be more nutritious, there was need to work along the value chain and ensure extra nutrients in Nigeria crops.
He called for continuous support of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development to enable his organization reach out to other States in Nigeria.
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