By Jutha Gupah, Damaturu
The Victims Support Fund (VSF) has disbursed N4 million with the distribution of 800 livestock to 200 households of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in this year’s livelihoods agricultural
support projects in Northeast sub-region of the country.
The beneficiaries are drawn from communities of Hausari, Ashekari, Kolori and Geidam that were displaced by Boko Haram insurgency in a border town with Niger Republic between 2013 and 2015.
Launching the agricultural support project on Thursday in Gaidam, the Executive Director of VSF, Prof. Sunday Ochoche said the pilot livestock distribution scheme; has targeted household victims of
three-year Boko Haram insurgency in Geidam council area of Yobe state.
“Today’s project launch; was designed to guarantee medium to long term food security and livelihoods of Boko Haram victims that were displaced by insurgency for three years in Yobe state and the North
East,” he said.
He said in implementing the pilot livestock project, VSF was also collaborating with Yobe state FADAMA III project to provide routine veterinary services to the benefiting households for a year.
The veterinary service, according to him, will guarantee the health of 800 distributed livestock (animals) and increase their productivity to earn more income.
He told the beneficiaries that within one year of raising more high breeds of distributed animals, each household would record an increase of 12 goats.
“This breed of goats is believed to produce two kids every six months,” said Prof. Ochoche.
He explained that the distributed livestock were examined and duly inoculated to ensure compliance with specifications and to also prevent any breakout of diseases.
On disbursement of N4 million, he said: “The specific breed of livestock chosen for today’s project launching; is the Borno Brown Goat.
“Each household will receive three female goats and one male Borno Brown Goat and a cash of N20, 000 to enable them provide initial feeding for the livestock and support their families in the interim.”
He said the Livelihoods Agricultural Support Scheme (LAGRISS); would be replicated in other conflict affected communities of Borno and Adamawa states.
