The Home-grown School Feeding Programme has been launched in Nasarawa state, kick starting the nationwide takeoff of the scheme aimed at enhancing the nutritional status of Nigerian pupils.

At the colourful ceremony held at Laminga Primary School on 27 September President Obasanjo noted that a substantial number of primary school children in Nigeria do not eat enough to ensure proper school attendance, attention and performance at school while almost half of school children aged between 7-13 years are underweight.

President Obasanjo stated that the School Feeding Programme worldwide has been embraced as safety net for child hunger, poverty reduction, empowerment of school-aged children, mitigation of risk factors to underdevelopment and reduction of malnutrition among children.

The President said it was in response to this situation that his administration constituted a number of Presidential Committees on Dairy Development, Citrus and cereals production among others to address food security.

He congratulated the Nasarawa state governor for the bold steps he has taken through sending samples for laboratory tests preparatory to local production of imported food supplements.

President Obasanjo pledged cooperation with international partners willing to support the Nasarawa School Feeding Programme, which he noted is in tandem with government’s strategy in achieving the second and third goals of the Millennium Development Goals.