By Archibong Jeremiah
Plans have been concluded for the 6th Edition of Nutritious Food Fair (NFF) holding in Calabar, the Cross River State capital.
According to the organizers, the event is packaged to stimulate robust engagement around nutrition and food security with the theme, “Multi-Sectoral Partnership To Promote More Nutritious Crops and Foods – You Are What You Eat”.
The event is scheduled as follows:
Date: Wednesday, November 9th to Friday, November 11th, 2016
Time: 9:00 am daily
Expected guests include, the host Governor Senator Ben Ayade; his counterpart in Anambra State, Willie Obiano; Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Audu Ogeh and Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole.
Other expected guests include A-list Nollywood stars, led by Segun Arinze and Fidelis Duker. Others are RMD, Aki, Monalisa, Francis Duru, Paul Ilona, Gerald Umeze, Blessing Owoseni, 2016 World Food Prize Winners, members of House of Representatives and Senate as well as over 20 other speakers from the private and development sectors.
The event is aimed to increase the demand and consumption of more nutritious foods; promote and encourage investment in the nutritious food sector and strengthen partnerships between public and private sector stakeholders particularly among farmers, processors, marketers and consumers.
It also serves as a platform to show progress made in developing more nutritious foods by the industrial sector (emphasizing nutrient rich foods), research institutions (emphasizing nutrient rich crop varieties and their derivatives) as well as government policy support.
As part of the event there would be a showcase of opportunities for youth employment in the nutritious food sector and recognition of advocates in the Agriculture for Nutrition and Health sector.
The maiden edition of the fair, was held in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, in 2015, was attended by over 3000 participants from 5 countries and was declared opened by the Vice President.
Over forty exhibitors, including national and international research centers, colleges of agriculture, food companies, herbicide companies, input dealers, equipment manufacturers, seed companies, caterers and delivery partners exhibited and sold products.
Twenty schools that had earlier qualified for the Grande-finale of the national nutrition quiz competition were also in attendance.
Register for the event and book for exhibition booth at www.nutritiousfoodfair.org