3.7m children in Northeast Nigeria face malnutrition crisis - FAO

A staggering 3.7 million children in Northeastern Nigeria are struggling with stunted growth, wasting, or anemia, according to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO).

To combat this crisis, the FAO and the Borno State Government have joined forces to scale up production of Tom Brown, a nutrient-dense food product made from locally sourced ingredients.

“Tom Brown has already proven effective in reducing malnutrition and preventing relapse by up to 35% among children discharged from UNICEF and WFP-supported nutrition centers”, a statement by the FAO indicated.

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The statement added that the FAO had enhanced Tom Brown with fish protein, processed in local production centres, and distributed as emergency nutritional assistance to flood-affected families in 2024.

Speaking at a high-level roundtable discussion with the Representatives of Federal Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), Borno State Government, donors, UN Agencies and NGOs, reaffirmed their commitment to scaling up the production and utilisation of the Tom Brown initiative in Borno State.

John Mukisa, Nutrition Sector Coordinator representing the Northeast Nutrition Sector, FAO, said that an alarming 3.7 million children in Northeastern Nigeria were stunted, wasted, or anaemic.

Mukisa said investments in low-cost, innovative, and locally sourced solutions such as Tom Brown could save the Borno Adamawa and Yobe (BAY) States an estimated USD 120 million, annually.

The roundtable, which was held at a critical time following the recent release of alarming Cadre Harmonisé figures, indicated that “25 million Nigerians are currently experiencing food insecurity”, a situation that is projected to worsen during the upcoming lean season, between June – August 2025 to 33.1 million across 26 States and the Federal Capital Territory.

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The FAO noted that expanding the production of Tom Brown presents multiple benefits, which include Livelihood Creation: Agricultural Market Strengthening, Revenue Generation and Regional Development, that helps contribute to long-term resilience in food security and nutrition.

“Nigeria continues to bear one of the highest burdens of malnutrition, globally. This reality underscores the urgency of our gathering today. It is imperative that we adopt innovative, community-driven approaches to combat malnutrition and ensure food security. Tom Brown has demonstrated remarkable effectiveness in addressing malnutrition, particularly among vulnerable groups such as children under five and lactating mothers,” said Baba Mallam Gana, Commissioner of Health and Human Services for Borno State.

“Scaling up Tom Brown will not only meet urgent nutritional needs but also create livelihood opportunities, strengthen local markets, and generate revenue for regional development”, FAO noted.

Koffy Dominique Kouacou, Representative ad interim, said
“The production and commercialisation of Tom Brown will attract investment from the private sector, boosting State revenue and positioning Borno as a leader in nutrition-sensitive agriculture.”

The roundtable discussion resulted in a shared understanding of the progress, challenges, and opportunities related to scaling up Tom Brown production.

This is even as the stakeholders unanimously endorsed the scaling up proposal, a draft roadmap was discussed to guide the expansion efforts, including the establishment of a dedicated production facility.

Ruth Tene Natsa

Ruth Tene, Assistant Editor, Agric/Solid Minerals/INEC Ruth Tene is an award-winning journalist with over 15 years experience in developmental reporting across several newsrooms, as a reporter, editor and other managerial roles. She holds a Postgraduate Diploma in Journalism from the University of Maiduguri among several other certifications She has attended several trainings and certifications both locally and internationally and has been recognized for her impactful work in humanitarian reporting, receiving the Gold Award for Humanitarian Services from the Amazing Grace Foundation. She is also a recipient of the Home Alliance Fellowship, reflecting her commitment to fostering a more humane, safer and more sustainable planet. An active member of professional journalism bodies, Ruth is affiliated with the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), the National Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ), and the Agricultural Correspondents Association of Nigeria (ACAN), where she continues to advocate for excellence, ethical reporting, and development-focused journalism.