Vice President Kashim Shettima has departed Abuja for Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, to lead a high-level government-to-government peer exchange focused on strengthening nutrition delivery in Nigeria.
Shettima’s visit follows an invitation from Ethiopia’s Deputy Prime Minister, Temesgen Tiruneh, who is spearheading the country’s efforts to improve nutrition through a multi-sectoral approach.
The Vice President’s media aide, Stanley Nkwocha, disclosed this in a statement issued in Abuja on Tuesday, saying Shettima would lead the Nigerian delegation at the inaugural Nigeria-Ethiopia Nutrition Leadership Exchange Visit.
According to the statement, the engagement is designed to provide an opportunity for key stakeholders from both countries to share experiences on developing effective federal, state and local government collaboration on nutrition.
“As the head of Nigeria’s delegation, the Vice President will participate in the inaugural Nigeria-Ethiopia Nutrition Leadership Exchange Visit, a forum aimed at enabling key stakeholders to share experiences of building a federal, state and local compact on nutrition,” the statement said.
During the visit, the Nigerian delegation will exchange experiences with Ethiopian officials on how government-led programmes can improve nutrition outcomes and strengthen the delivery of nutrition interventions.
The delegation will also tour selected establishments and initiatives in Ethiopia that are contributing to improved nutrition and food production.
As part of the programme, Shettima is expected to visit a wheat farm and banana plantation in Oromia, the ‘Bounty of the Basket’ Training Centre and households in Mojo, as well as Jabdu Motors in Bishoftu.
The visit is expected to provide Nigerian officials with an opportunity to study Ethiopia’s approaches to food production, nutrition interventions and multi-sectoral coordination, with a view to identifying practices that could support Nigeria’s own nutrition programmes.
Among the officials accompanying the Vice President are Zamfara State Governor, Dauda Lawal; Jigawa State Governor, Umar Namadi; and Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Senator Abubakar Bagudu, among other members of the delegation.
Shettima is expected to return to Abuja after concluding the engagements in Addis Ababa and other locations covered by the exchange programme.
