NEWS DIGEST–The Federal Government feeds pupils with 6million eggs and 594 cows weekly under its Home Grown School Feeding Programme, Mrs Maryam Uwais, Special Adviser to the president on National Social Welfare Programme, said yesterday.
Uwais disclosed this in Abuja, when she received a delegation from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) on a study tour of Nigeria to learn from the social intervention programmes in the country.
She said 9 million children are currently being fed under the programme in 26 states as a way of encouraging school enrollment.
“Presently, each child eats at least an egg in a day, adding up to 6.8million eggs being consumed weekly by children under the programme in just 26 states.
“So, the poultry farmers are now doing so much to provide eggs for the schools because every meal is a balanced diet and every child must have at least one egg.
“We need to slaughter 594 cows every week for the pupils and 83 metric tonnes of fish is consumed weekly in just 26 states and more states are coming on board.
“Farmers are growing and requesting for rice meals now because they are saying I was growing 20 bags but because of the programme, I now provide more so I need a rice meal.’’
Uwais said that farmers were now calling on the government to support them to engage in mechanised farming.
Mrs Adesanmi Abimbola, Programme Manager; National Home Grown School Feeding Programme said 95,000 cooks had been employed so far.
Abimbola said mechanism had been put in place for the maintenance of quality standard, adding that the cooks were all trained on hygiene.
Mr John Mugabushaka, Chief of Staff, Ministry of Social Affairs, DRC and head of the delegation, said they were sent by the DRC government on an experience sharing tour. (NAN)
