The Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare has partnered with Catholic Relief Services (CRS) to expand the use of Tom Brown, a locally made, highly nutritious food, as part of efforts to combat severe acute malnutrition in Nigeria.
During a strategic meeting, CRS Country Representative Akim Kikonda officially handed over the CRS Tom Brown Implementation Guide to Mrs. Ladidi Kuluwa Bako-Aiyegbusi, the Director and Head of the Nutrition Department at the ministry. This guide provides step-by-step instructions for preparing and using Tom Brown, which is made from affordable, locally sourced ingredients such as cereals, groundnuts, and soybeans.
“Tom Brown is a home-grown solution that is welcomed and adopted by communities, thanks to its low cost, dietary diversity, and positive reduction in malnutrition rates,” said CRS’ Head of Programs, Dane Fredenburg. “Children are in better health—not only surviving but thriving—thanks to Tom Brown.”
Nigeria has one of the highest rates of malnourished children in the world, with 40% of children under five affected, according to the 2024 National Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS). CRS has been working in northeastern Nigeria since 2016, providing mothers with food vouchers to produce Tom Brown within their communities. In Borno State alone, 28,000 malnourished children under five have been fed Tom Brown since 2023, with an impressive 97% recovery rate.
Mrs. Bako emphasized the urgency of scaling up this approach, stating that several state governments are eager to introduce Tom Brown in regions where malnutrition remains high.
“I appreciate the work CRS has done and their willingness to share these manuals with us,” Mrs. Bako said. “This meeting is very timely and will support our plans to achieve zero malnutrition cases in the long run.”
She further noted that the ministry is well-positioned to coordinate efforts among partners to sustain the fight against malnutrition.
Mr. Kikonda reaffirmed CRS’ commitment to supporting the government in scaling up Tom Brown nationwide. “We are thrilled to collaborate with the Federal Ministry of Health to scale up the Tom Brown approach and are ready to support with trainers,” he said. “This initiative is a testament to our shared commitment to improving nutrition and reducing malnutrition in Nigeria.”
With this collaboration, CRS and the Nigerian government aim to make Tom Brown widely accessible, ensuring that more children receive the nutrition they need to grow and thrive.
