The Federal Government has reaffirmed its dedication to improving the nutritional status of Nigerians, especially vulnerable groups like children under five, pregnant and lactating women, and other nutritionally at-risk populations. This commitment was highlighted during the stakeholders’ meeting on the Tom Brown Policy Dialogue, themed ‘Establishing a Unified Framework for Tom Brown in Nigeria’.
Malnutrition Remains a Key Challenge
Mrs Olufunmilola Adegbite, Director and Head of the Nutrition Department at the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, lamented that malnutrition continues to be a major public health issue in Nigeria. She noted that despite progress through various nutrition interventions, undernutrition—including stunting, wasting, and micronutrient deficiencies—still threatens national development. The ministry prioritizes food-based strategies and locally available, nutrient-dense complementary foods.
Tom Brown as a Solution
Adegbite explained that Tom Brown, a traditional complementary food made from a blend of cereals and legumes, is widely recognized for improving dietary intake among young children. However, its preparation, nutrient composition, hygiene standards, quality control, and scalability vary across the country. The meeting aimed to harmonize efforts and develop a national framework for standardized production, quality assurance, and implementation of Tom Brown. The goal is to institutionalize this home-grown solution as a viable, affordable, and culturally acceptable complementary food to combat malnutrition, while providing technical guidance for households, small-scale producers, state actors, and development partners.
Stakeholders Emphasize Collaboration
Akim Kikonda, Country Representative of Catholic Relief Services (CRS) Nigeria, stated that nutrition is a cornerstone of human development. He noted that sustainable, locally available solutions like Tom Brown have proven effective in improving infant and young child feeding practices and addressing malnutrition among vulnerable populations. Kikonda emphasized that promoting nutrient-dense complementary foods from local ingredients enhances dietary diversity, household resilience, food security, and long-term sustainability. The meeting aimed to review stakeholders’ understanding of Tom Brown’s role, align with national nutrition policies, and foster collaboration for harmonized nutrition programming across Nigeria. Scaling up best practices and reinforcing policy-driven approaches will improve nutritional outcomes, particularly for children under five.
Standardization and Cultural Diversity
Mrs Yvonne Yinfaowei, Assistant Director in the Nutrition Department, said the ministry recognizes Tom Brown’s importance in preventing and managing moderate acute malnutrition (MAM). Hence, standardizing its production and scaling its use beyond the North-East to other regions is necessary. She stressed considering Nigeria’s cultural diversity and dietary preferences, which may influence Tom Brown’s composition in different regions. The guideline aims to ensure safe and nutritious Tom Brown through standardized processing, production, and distribution. Implementation and enforcement will involve relevant agencies, including the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare (FMoHSW), the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), and the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON). Quality control is crucial for safety, consistency, and quality, and producers and distributors must comply with the guidelines.
SON’s Role in Quality Assurance
Mrs Nene Obianwu, Deputy Director and Head of the Food and Agriculture Group in SON’s Standards Development Department, stated that SON implements government policy through standardization and quality assurance. SON has begun work on Tom Brown standards to align production practices, ensure a level playing field for producers, and safeguard consumer safety.
