CORET Launches School Feeding Program for 1,600 Nomadic Children in Kaduna and Jigawa, Plans to Expand to 36 States.
By Raymond Enoch
In a significant move aimed at improving child nutrition and education, the Confederation of Traditional Stock Breeders’ Organization (CORET) has rolled out a School Feeding Program targeting 1,600 nomadic schoolchildren across six pastoralist schools in Kaduna and Jigawa States.
At the launch of the Integrated School Feeding Project in Laddauga, Kachia Grazing Reserve, CORET’s Secretary General, Mohammed Bello Tukur, outlined the project’s goals. He emphasized that the initiative aims to enhance the nutrition of nomadic children while also supporting their education, with 60% of the beneficiaries being girls.
Tukur explained that the project would not only reduce the burden of school feeding on parents but also boost school enrollment rates. “We are also planning to expand the program to other states such as Katsina, Taraba, Adamawa, and Niger. Engaging the community is essential for the long-term success and sustainability of the initiative, which we intend to run for 36 months,” he added.
The program also seeks to create economic opportunities, particularly for women, in the six pastoralist communities, and strengthen knowledge-sharing on nutrition, hygiene, sanitation, and sustainable management of natural resources.
Dr. Ishaq Bello, Special Assistant to the Minister of Livestock Development, noted the timeliness of the program, which aims to provide children with the nutrition needed to enhance their cognitive development. He emphasized that this would not only help children thrive academically but also reduce the number of out-of-school children, fostering greater societal productivity.
Alain Traore, ECOWAS Director of Agriculture and Rural Development, represented by Dr. Saater Kumaga, highlighted the ongoing efforts of ECOWAS in supporting regional development. “ECOWAS is currently implementing 127 projects in 15 member countries, including three initiatives in Kaduna State,” Traore noted.
The District Head of Laddauga, Alhaji Ahmed Jibril, also pledged his full support for the project, ensuring local cooperation for its successful implementation.
This initiative, supported by the ECOWAS Commission’s Rural Agency for Agriculture and Food (RAAF) and Spanish Development Cooperation (SDC), is already underway in the Kachia Laddauga Grazing Reserve in Kaduna State and the Maigatari Trans-border Axis in Jigawa State.
