The Oyo State Government says it has extended measures to curb child stunting and malnutrition to the grassroots by inaugurating food and nutrition committees across 20 local government areas.

The initiative aims to ensure that nutrition programmes are funded and managed directly at the council level, rather than relying solely on state and donor support.

The decision followed a two-day meeting in Ibadan on the prevention of child malnutrition during the first 1,000 days of life, organised by the state government in collaboration with UNICEF and funded by the US government.

The meeting featured a discussion on the Nutrition 774 initiative, which encourages local governments to institutionalise monthly budget allocations for nutrition.

The Nutrition 774 initiative is a government-led, multi-sectoral programme designed to enhance coordination, foster political commitment, improve funding, and elevate the profile of nutrition across all sectors and tiers of government.

UNICEF nutrition specialist Oluniyi Oyedokun cited examples from other states where chairmen have signed funding orders ranging from N500,000 to N1 million per month, creating a steady flow of resources for nutrition activities before federal allocations arrive.

Beyond local government funding, Mr Oyedokun also charged lawmakers and other stakeholders in social protection systems to scale up impact.

He urged state legislators to direct part of their constituency project funds to nutrition supplies, noting that one state had raised contributions from N5 million to N10 million per lawmaker annually, generating nearly N300 million for supplies.

Mr Oyedokun also called for collaboration with the state’s social safety office to identify and reach vulnerable households.

Also, the permanent secretary of the Oyo State Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning, Julius Ayanleke, reinforced the call for consistent funding and accountability in implementing the programme.

He said that the state’s five-year multi-sectoral food and nutrition plan would serve as the framework for local government action, with committees required to submit quarterly reports on completed and planned activities.

According to Mr Ayanleke, even small monthly commitments of between N1 million and N5 million can drive meaningful progress if released promptly.

On his part, the chairman of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON), Oyo State, Sikiru Sanda, reiterated the commitment of local council chairmen to ensure the success of the programme.

 (NAN)