Jutha Gupah, Maiduguri
August 25, 2017.
The Country Representative of Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO)
of the United Nations, Suffyan Koroma; has said that a dry season
agricultural programme is to be launched to “strengthen food security
and nutrition” in the North-East.
The FAO programme, according to the UN agency, is to empower 70, 000
Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) households to grow nutritious food
and diversify their incomes.
Koroma disclosed this on Friday in Maiduguri, in an interactive
session with journalists on how to overcome challenges of “food
insecurity and malnutrition” among displaced persons in the
North-East.
He said the dry season farming, was to strengthen resilience of
communities from the shock of loss of livelihoods in the recently
liberated communities.
His words: “FAO will implement dry season programme across the states
of Adamawa, Borno and Yobe in North-East, Nigeria.
“Through this programme, around 70,000 farmers’ households
representing about 560,000 beneficiaries will receive vegetables
seeds, fertilizers and irrigation equipment to bolster their capacity
to cultivate crops that will reduce the impact of the food crisis and
improve on the nutritional requirements of the affected population.”
Koroma; who was represented by Deputy Representative, Head of the FAO,
Sub Office, Nourou Macki Tall said the programme is part of efforts
led by the Government of Nigeria to restore livelihoods and combat
critical levels of food insecurity and malnutrition in areas inflicted
by Boko Haram insurgency.
“This Boko Haram conflict has displaced some 2.4 million people; with
further deteriorating food security and livelihoods in the light of
the already challenging adverse situation in Maiduguri metropolis,”
said Tall.
He said the food security and nutrition programme, is expected to
start full implementation in October 2017.
On funding of the programme, he said: “Support from various donors,
including Belgium, the United Nations Central Emergency Response Fund
(CERF), the European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations
(ECHO), Germany, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland and the United States of
America (USA) have helped to rebuild livelihoods and address food
insecurity to combat hunger in North East Nigeria.
“Vegetables like okra, sorrels, rosellas and amaranths mature early.
They offer first income generated for vulnerable people, to help them
reinvest in farm and non-farm activities”, says Nourou Macki Tall,
Deputy Representative, Head of the FAO Sub Office in North East
Nigeria.
“The dry season programme will target vulnerable internally displaced
persons (IDPs), returnees and host communities.”
He assured that the FAO will work closely with national authorities
and international partners overcome food insecurity and malnutrition
among displaced persons.
“There is a dire need to improve food security of returnees, host
communities and internally displaced persons. These efforts will also
address critical challenges confronting farmers who face a shortage of
agricultural inputs that continue to prolong their reliance on
expensive humanitarian assistances,” said Tall.
