Bill Gates, Co-Chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, has said everyone deserves access to healthy, nutritious food, while emphasizing the critical role of nutrition in Nigeria’s development.
According to him, the country’s development is rooted in the health and well-being of its people.
In an exclusive interview with the Punch Newspaper, Gates highlighted the foundation’s efforts to address malnutrition, stating, “We’ve invested over $2 billion into improving health outcomes and boosting agricultural productivity. We believe everyone deserves access to healthy, nutritious food.”
On climate change, he noted, “Nigeria today has the second-highest rate of food insecurity on earth, and climate change is only accelerating the problem. We’re working to build new innovations and support structures across Nigeria to make the country more resilient to climate change.”
Gates praised local partnerships, saying, “The communities we seek to support understand their own needs best. We believe in the importance of home-grown solutions to development challenges.”
He also highlighted innovative strategies, such as fortifying bouillon cubes with vital nutrients, which “could prevent more than 11,000 deaths from neural tube defects and avert 16.8 million cases of anaemia each year in Nigeria.”