Nigerian National Policy on Food and Nutrition; Budget or Performance Inclined? (Part 1 of 5)
Nigerian National Policy on Food and Nutrition; Budget or Performance Inclined? (Part 1 of 5)
The recent review of the Nigerian National Policy on Food and Nutrition by the Federal Government is a laudable milestone by the Buhari led administration in addressing the problems of malnutrition, which has continuously being a public health concern, manifesting itself mainly as under nutrition, over nutrition and micronutrient deficiencies.
Malnutrition and nutrition–related issues have been most devastating among young children, pregnant and lactating mothers, especially in the northern part of the country. Beyond doubt, malnutrition is endemic in developing economics, hinders human, social and economic development, impacts negatively on productivity, and affects citizens' well being.
The National Food and Nutrition Policy is a documented framework that addresses the challenges, problems and issues of food and nutrition insecurity in Nigeria, from the grass root, up to the national level. It is expected to provide a one stop guide for the identification, design, and implementation of intervention activities across different relevant sectors.
This framework covers various sectors including health, agriculture, science and technology, education, trade, economy, and industry as nutrition is basic necessity of life that cut across all segments of the economy. Nutrition is a multi-sectoral and multidisciplinary issue that will always take the centre space of political, social and economic discuss of any nation.
According to the National Policy on Food and Nutrition document;
Nigeria is one of the 20 countries responsible for 80% of global child malnutrition.
About 23% of newborns in Nigeria receive breast milk within one hour of birth, whilst the exclusive breast feeding rate is 17%
Reports have it that only 10% of children within 6-23 months were fed in accordance with infant and young child feeding recommendation during a child's transition period
There is prevalence of chronic malnutrition among women of childbearing age in the country, increasing at 25%
Record has it that 11% of women are obese and overweight, (BMI ≥ 25.0) and 11% are thin (BMI ≤ 18.5).
Infant and under-five mortality in Nigeria is unacceptably high at 97 per 1,000 live births and 158 per 1,000 live births in 2011 respectively.
Maternal under nutrition results in low birth weight which, in turn, contributes to high infant mortality and a significant factor in the high incidence of maternal mortality in Nigeria.
Reports show that 29.5% and 13.1% of children and women, respectively, are Vitamin-A deficient
Nutritional anemia prevalence among mothers and children, respectively, were 24.3% and 27.5%.
The renewed focus by this recent administration led by His Excellency Professor Yemi Osinbajo as the chair of the Council alongside other 25 members body spanning across Ministries, Departments and Agencies to ensuring that the framework deliverables are melt within the stipulated timeframe of 2025, is quite commendable and call for citizens involvement in supporting this mandate.
To this end, I would like to point out that the framework should be performance driven with organic approach applicable and appropriate to cultural inclination. Having gone through the 52 page document, the vision statement, institutional arrangement, goals, objective and strategy are indeed water tight but could suffer lack of attainment of optimal nutritional status for all Nigerians, with particular emphasis on the most vulnerable groups, not because of the multi-sectoral and multidisciplinary nature, but for absence of clear cut immediate, and medium goals which are measurable, time bound and not budget inclined.
For instance, N-power initiative which was designed to empower the teeming unemployed youths and fill the gaps in skills acquisition continue to be a siphoning platform by corrupt citizens from government, as quite a number of beneficiaries under this scheme are gainfully employed elsewhere.
Budget inclined operational approach makes public institutions perform below the belt, suffer from complacency, self mediocrity due to intangible objectives and results, which is a reflection of how it is paid or rewarded
Budget inclined initiative is paid from a general revenue stream which is not tied to result but tax, royalty or levy. The payment mode is derived not from what taxpayers mean by result or performance. In fact, the most plausible explanation for non performance is intangible goals and objective.
"To attain optimal nutritional status for all Nigerians, with particular emphasis on the most vulnerable groups such as children, adolescents, women, elderly, and groups with special nutritional needs" is intangible because this statement is infinite without yearly if not biannual stipulated milestone culminating into the overall targets.
The set targets of 2025 would not work best for Nigeria knowing that the power play in terms of politicking in this climate is very sensitive and unstable. Hence measurable and concrete goals are key to avoiding any possible ambiguity and controversy as regards government policy. Achievement becomes impossible when specific, time bound and clearly defined targets in little bite are not quantifiable.
This is a country where continuity and sustainability is stifled by political parties once opposition seizes power. It behooves on the council to be down to earth in advancing short terms goals;
How does the council intent to track achievement of targets set for various deliverables annually.
What are the specifics of these targets, yearly, bi-annually or quarterly culminating into the overall 2025 timeline
Are this deliverable in the public space for all to monitor quarterly
Who shall be responsible for ownership of these targets at different institutional segments and why
How do we ascertain if result are achieved in real time
How accessible are they and how transparent will the operation, finance and legal system be?
What punitive measures are put in place for erring personnels and practice
An outlook at the mission statement of this policy would be something like;
Equitably food and nutrition-secure
High quality of life
Socioeconomic development
Human capital development
If the outlook is right, it means every strategy earmark in the policy is geared towards achieving this feat without measurable, realistic targets in little bite has documented in the framework.
I would be more committed just like any believer in the prosperity of the Nigerian enterprise, to monitor the promotion and sustainance twice-yearly Vitamin-A supplementation for children aged 6 to 59 months and de-worming for children aged 12 to 59 months targeting a precise landmark in percentage as regards a care giver capacity within the first 1000 days as stipulated in section 3.2.1 subsection iv of the document
The recent review of the Nigerian National Policy on Food and Nutrition by the Federal Government is a laudable milestone by the Buhari led administration in addressing the problems of malnutrition, which has continuously being a public health concern, manifesting itself mainly as under nutrition, over nutrition and micronutrient deficiencies.
Malnutrition and nutrition–related issues have been most devastating among young children, pregnant and lactating mothers, especially in the northern part of the country. Beyond doubt, malnutrition is endemic in developing economics, hinders human, social and economic development, impacts negatively on productivity, and affects citizens' well being.
The National Food and Nutrition Policy is a documented framework that addresses the challenges, problems and issues of food and nutrition insecurity in Nigeria, from the grass root, up to the national level. It is expected to provide a one stop guide for the identification, design, and implementation of intervention activities across different relevant sectors.
This framework covers various sectors including health, agriculture, science and technology, education, trade, economy, and industry as nutrition is basic necessity of life that cut across all segments of the economy. Nutrition is a multi-sectoral and multidisciplinary issue that will always take the centre space of political, social and economic discuss of any nation.
According to the National Policy on Food and Nutrition document;
Nigeria is one of the 20 countries responsible for 80% of global child malnutrition.
About 23% of newborns in Nigeria receive breast milk within one hour of birth, whilst the exclusive breast feeding rate is 17%
Reports have it that only 10% of children within 6-23 months were fed in accordance with infant and young child feeding recommendation during a child's transition period
There is prevalence of chronic malnutrition among women of childbearing age in the country, increasing at 25%
Record has it that 11% of women are obese and overweight, (BMI ≥ 25.0) and 11% are thin (BMI ≤ 18.5).
Infant and under-five mortality in Nigeria is unacceptably high at 97 per 1,000 live births and 158 per 1,000 live births in 2011 respectively.
Maternal under nutrition results in low birth weight which, in turn, contributes to high infant mortality and a significant factor in the high incidence of maternal mortality in Nigeria.
Reports show that 29.5% and 13.1% of children and women, respectively, are Vitamin-A deficient
Nutritional anemia prevalence among mothers and children, respectively, were 24.3% and 27.5%.
The renewed focus by this recent administration led by His Excellency Professor Yemi Osinbajo as the chair of the Council alongside other 25 members body spanning across Ministries, Departments and Agencies to ensuring that the framework deliverables are melt within the stipulated timeframe of 2025, is quite commendable and call for citizens involvement in supporting this mandate.
To this end, I would like to point out that the framework should be performance driven with organic approach applicable and appropriate to cultural inclination. Having gone through the 52 page document, the vision statement, institutional arrangement, goals, objective and strategy are indeed water tight but could suffer lack of attainment of optimal nutritional status for all Nigerians, with particular emphasis on the most vulnerable groups, not because of the multi-sectoral and multidisciplinary nature, but for absence of clear cut immediate, and medium goals which are measurable, time bound and not budget inclined.
For instance, N-power initiative which was designed to empower the teeming unemployed youths and fill the gaps in skills acquisition continue to be a siphoning platform by corrupt citizens from government, as quite a number of beneficiaries under this scheme are gainfully employed elsewhere.
Budget inclined operational approach makes public institutions perform below the belt, suffer from complacency, self mediocrity due to intangible objectives and results, which is a reflection of how it is paid or rewarded
Budget inclined initiative is paid from a general revenue stream which is not tied to result but tax, royalty or levy. The payment mode is derived not from what taxpayers mean by result or performance. In fact, the most plausible explanation for non performance is intangible goals and objective.
"To attain optimal nutritional status for all Nigerians, with particular emphasis on the most vulnerable groups such as children, adolescents, women, elderly, and groups with special nutritional needs" is intangible because this statement is infinite without yearly if not biannual stipulated milestone culminating into the overall targets.
The set targets of 2025 would not work best for Nigeria knowing that the power play in terms of politicking in this climate is very sensitive and unstable. Hence measurable and concrete goals are key to avoiding any possible ambiguity and controversy as regards government policy. Achievement becomes impossible when specific, time bound and clearly defined targets in little bite are not quantifiable.
This is a country where continuity and sustainability is stifled by political parties once opposition seizes power. It behooves on the council to be down to earth in advancing short terms goals;
How does the council intent to track achievement of targets set for various deliverables annually.
What are the specifics of these targets, yearly, bi-annually or quarterly culminating into the overall 2025 timeline
Are this deliverable in the public space for all to monitor quarterly
Who shall be responsible for ownership of these targets at different institutional segments and why
How do we ascertain if result are achieved in real time
How accessible are they and how transparent will the operation, finance and legal system be?
What punitive measures are put in place for erring personnels and practice
An outlook at the mission statement of this policy would be something like;
Equitably food and nutrition-secure
High quality of life
Socioeconomic development
Human capital development
If the outlook is right, it means every strategy earmark in the policy is geared towards achieving this feat without measurable, realistic targets in little bite has documented in the framework.
I would be more committed just like any believer in the prosperity of the Nigerian enterprise, to monitor the promotion and sustainance twice-yearly Vitamin-A supplementation for children aged 6 to 59 months and de-worming for children aged 12 to 59 months targeting a precise landmark in percentage as regards a care giver capacity within the first 1000 days as stipulated in section 3.2.1 subsection iv of the document
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