Kano, UNICEF Hold Food and Nutrition Review Meeting in Kaduna

The Kano State Ministry of Planning and Budget, in collaboration with the UNICEF Kano Field Office, has organized a two-day meeting on Food and Nutrition Q1 2026 review and coordination in Kaduna State.

Declaring the meeting open, the Acting Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, who is also the Chairman of the State Committee on Food and Nutrition (SCTN), Abdulmumin Ladan Ajumawa, emphasized the importance of the engagement in promoting and improving nutritional outcomes in the state.

He said the meeting was crucial to strengthening coordination among stakeholders and improving food and nutrition indicators, especially for women and children in Kano State.
On his part, the Chief of the UNICEF Field Office Kano, Dr. Karanveer Singh, called on government agencies and development partners to strengthen collaboration and build on each other’s strengths to improve nutrition and child welfare indicators in the state.

Speaking at the stakeholders’ meeting, Dr. Singh stressed the need for collective action in addressing challenges affecting women and children, noting that no single agency can achieve meaningful progress alone.

According to him, every organization has unique strengths that must be harnessed through collaboration to achieve better results.
“We need to work together as one and build on each other’s strengths to help improve the situation. We have two options — either to continue with business as usual or take deliberate steps toward meaningful change,” he said.

Dr. Singh expressed concern over the high rate of child stunting in Kano State, noting that more than half of children are affected, a situation he described as unacceptable.

He said stakeholders and government officials would not want Kano State to continue to be associated with poor development indicators.
“We do not want Kano State to be called out for poor indicators. This is why we must utilize this opportunity to come together, deliberate and discuss practical solutions,” he added.
The UNICEF Chief stressed that all interventions must be evidence-based and guided by reliable data rather than assumptions or personal opinions.
He reaffirmed UNICEF’s commitment to supporting the government in improving the wellbeing of women and children across the state.

Dr. Singh further urged participants to develop clear action plans during the meeting to guide implementation in the coming months.
He expressed optimism that stronger collaboration and strategic interventions would help improve nutrition outcomes and living conditions in Kano State.