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Victory Ayele
- October 31, 2025
World Food Day is more than a date on the calendar for Ikore International Development Limited. In 2025, the organisation marked the occasion in a special way—by taking nutrition education directly to families in Nasarawa State and transforming global advocacy into local action.
Every year on October 16, countries and organisations across the world celebrate World Food Day, led by the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO). The day encourages action to end hunger and improve nutrition for all.
The 2025 theme, “Hand in Hand – Better Food, Better Future,” calls for partnerships and collective effort to make healthy food accessible to everyone. For Nigeria, where many households rely on simple staples but lack knowledge about dietary balance, the theme resonates deeply.
Recognising this, Ikore, in partnership with ChananHill, chose to celebrate differently. Instead of a formal gathering, the partners took the campaign to the community of Aso Pada in Karu Local Government Area, Nasarawa State, where they engaged families in a practical and joyful learning experience that linked everyday food choices to better health.
Putting the community at the centre
The celebration brought together over 150 participants from Aso Pada community, including women of reproductive age, pregnant and lactating mothers, men, youth, and local leaders. The inclusive event created space for families to learn together, share local knowledge, and take collective action toward healthier living.
It also marked the launch of the Balanced Plate Project, a community education project developed by ChananHill in collaboration with Ikore. The project aims to educate women of reproductive age on how to use familiar, locally available foods to prepare balanced meals that improve household nutrition.
“At Ikore, lasting change begins in communities,” said Ogheneovo Ugbebor, Managing Partner at Ikore. “World Food Day was an opportunity to show how global goals can inspire local solutions that make real impact.”
Learning through creativity
The celebration was lively and participatory. Session such as “Understanding the Balanced Plate” encouraged families to reflect on what they eat daily and discover ways to make those meals more nutritious using affordable local ingredients.
The highlight was the Balance Your Plate Competition, a dramatised learning activity where groups of women acted out how they would combine local foods—like rice, beans, vegetables, and fish—to create a balanced meal. Laughter and song filled the venue as participants learned that healthy eating depends more on balance and creativity than on costly ingredients.
A short nutrition quiz followed, rewarding participants who demonstrated knowledge of food groups and hygiene. Winners received nutritious packaged food products provided by micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) supported under the Strengthening Agrifood Enterprises for Development and Sustainability (SAEDS) project, implemented by Ikore in partnership with the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN).
The project strengthens the capacity of agrifood MSMEs to produce and market safe and nutritious foods for low-income consumers.
From learning to commitment: the food pledge
The event ended with the signing of the Hand in Hand Food Pledge Wall, where participants made personal commitments to practise better nutrition at home. Over 100 people signed the wall, turning lessons learned into personal promises.
The most common pledge read, “I will eat more vegetables and fruits.” Others included:
- “I go create small garden for my house.”
- “I go give my pikin only breast milk for six months.”
- “I will provide money for good food, not just any food.”
The Food Pledge helps families take ownership of what they have learned,” said Martina Hembafan, Director of Programmes at ChananHill. “It turns awareness into daily action.”
A local expression of a global campaign
By taking World Food Day to the grassroots, Ikore and ChananHill gave the global campaign a local voice. The event showed how community participation can make nutrition education practical and exciting while inspiring a sense of shared responsibility for healthier living.
Building better futures together
The celebration in Aso Pada reflected Ikore’s distinctive approach to development — combining evidence, creativity, and deep community engagement. As an organisation grounded in local realities, Ikore works hand in hand with public, development and private partners to design practical solutions that respond to people’s real needs.
Through projects like the Balanced Plate Project with ChananHill and the Strengthening Agrifood Enterprises for Development and Sustainability (SAEDS) project with GAIN, Ikore continues to demonstrate its ability to bridge research and implementation, empower women and families, and strengthen food and enterprise systems that improve lives.
Better food and better futures begin with informed communities. By partnering with others who share this vision, Ikore is helping build a future where every household has the knowledge, opportunity, and confidence to thrive.
