By Daniel Karlmax
The Kaduna State Climate Change Accountability Mechanism (KadCCAM) has called for greater commitment toward promoting breastfeeding as part of efforts to improve maternal and child health, strengthen community resilience, and advance climate action in Kaduna State.
In a statement, the Co-Chair of KadCCAM, Ibrahim Yakubu says breastfeeding is fundamental to the health, survival, and well-being of children and mothers, while also contributing to sustainable development and climate resilience.
According to the statement, breastfeeding is not only the foundation for healthy childhood development but also an important component of building resilient communities.
Supporting breastfeeding, it notes, reduces dependence on environmentally intensive alternatives and strengthens family and community resilience in the face of climate change.
Yakubu observes that, climate change continues to threaten food security, public health, livelihoods, and the well-being of vulnerable populations, underscoring the need to integrate breastfeeding promotion into broader climate action and sustainable development efforts.
He stresses that, protecting and promoting breastfeeding should remain part of policies aimed at improving health outcomes while advancing climate responsibility in Nigeria.
The KadCCAM Co-Chair urges government institutions, development partners, civil society organisations, communities, and individuals to create enabling environments where mothers can confidently practice exclusive breastfeeding and have access to the information, resources, and protection they need.
He calls on all stakeholders to renew their commitment to policies and actions that connect climate responsibility, maternal health, child nutrition, and community resilience, saying such efforts would help build a healthier, more sustainable, and climate-resilient Kaduna State, and Nigeria at large.