By Rabiu Sanusi
The Kano State Government, in collaboration with HarvestPlus, its global office in Washington D.C., the Federal Ministries of Agriculture and Health, and the UK Government-funded Propcom+ Programme, will host the 11th edition of the Nutritious Food Fair (NFF) in Kano on Thursday, October 16.
The Commissioner for Budget and Planning, Musa Sulaiman Shanono, announced this during a press briefing ahead of the event.
Shanono said this year’s fair, themed “Our Food, Our Heritage,” aligns with the agricultural transformation agenda of Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf’s administration.
He described the Nutritious Food Fair as a strategic platform for engagement, learning, and networking among stakeholders in Nigeria’s food and nutrition sector.
According to him, the annual event brings together policymakers, researchers, farmers, food processors, and other key players to showcase innovations, share insights, and discuss emerging issues related to nutrition.
“This year’s fair is expected to attract over 100 commercial exhibitors, government officials, leading private sector players, and more than 2,000 participants,” he said.
Activities lined up for the fair include exhibitions and sales of nutritious food products, panel discussions, business sessions, quiz and cooking competitions, as well as capacity-building and enterprise development training.
Shanono revealed that one of the highlights of the event would be the decoration of the Kano State First Lady as the “Smart Mother of the State.”
“In this role, Her Excellency will champion initiatives aimed at empowering women with nutritional knowledge and education, helping them make informed choices in preparing healthy meals for their families,” he added.
He noted that beyond promoting healthy eating, the fair also seeks to create employment opportunities for young people, foster new business linkages, and open investment prospects within the nutritious food value chain.
Speaking at the briefing, a member of the HarvestPlus team, Mr. Yusuf Fuad, said the Propcom+ programme is an eight-year (2023–2030) FCDO-funded climate-smart agricultural initiative aimed at transforming Nigeria’s rural economy by addressing environmental, social, and economic challenges in the nation’s food and land-use systems.
Fuad added that the programme, in partnership with HarvestPlus, is working closely with the Kano State Government—particularly through the Ministries of Budget and Planning, Environment, and Agriculture—to promote climate- and nutrition-smart food production systems across the state.
Reaffirming the government’s commitment, Shanono said, “We are committed to working closely with Propcom+ and HarvestPlus to ensure that our people continue to have access to safe and nutritious foods.”
