How Orange-Fleshed Potato Boosts Child Nutrition In Gombe-Caregivers, Mothers
By Najib Sani, Gombe
Caregivers and mothers in Kaltungo Local Government Area of Gombe State have revealed how Orange-Fleshed Sweet Potato (OFSP) has become a game-changer in improving child nutrition and health outcomes in the area.
The orange-fleshed sweet potato, promoted through the UK-funded programme, Progressing Action on Resilient System for Nutrition Through Innovation and Partnership (PARSNIP), implemented by UNICEF, has been hailed in the local government as a ‘miracle crop’ by mothers who have witnessed its benefits firsthand.
In an interview with our correspondent, Aisha Muhammed Aliyu, a mother, said her child was cured of eye itching and redness after she feeds him with the potato.”I fry it, boil it, or dry it and make gruel with it, and feed him.
As a result, his eye problem he was born with is now gone”, she said, advising other parents to feed their kids with the potato.
Another mother, Amina Isa, said farming the new breed potato has not only improved her family’s nutrition but also her economic prospects.
She said she started planting the potato in her house last year and made over N50,000 from the sale of the potato, which she used to buy livestock like goats to rear.
Mrs Rona Yaro, Facility Manager of Kalorgu Primary Health Care Centre, in Kaltungo Local Government, said they enlighten pregnant women on the need to use such potato to boost their kids’ nutrition after six months of delivery.
“The OFSP is rich in vitamin A and other essential micronutrients that are crucial for child growth and development,” she explained.
She acknowledged the tireless efforts of UNICEF in driving this initiative forward, expressing confidence that with sustained efforts, they could reduce child malnutrition and improve the health outcomes of children in Gombe State.
Also commenting on the benefits of the potato in an interview, Philomena Irene, Nutrition Specialist at UNICEF Bauchi field office in charge of Bauchi, Gombe, Adamawa, Taraba and Plateau States, explained that the project’s specific objectives are to improve infant and young child feeding practices, enhance early detection and referral of malnutrition, and strengthen treatment services at community and facility levels.
She added that the project has also trained caregivers on the effective practices, empowering them to monitor children’s growth and detect malnutrition early.
According to her, PARSNIP project is being implemented in three Local Government Areas (LGAs) in Gombe State, namely Kwami, Kaltungo, and Dukku.
“We appreciate the support of the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, and the Gombe State government for their commitment to improving child nutrition in the state”, she said.
Our correspondent reports that Gombe State is one of those with high rate of malnourished children.
