The Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) said the organisation is supporting 26,750 vulnerable households, comprising returnee internally displaced persons (IDPs) and host communities in Borno, Adamawa, Yobe and Taraba states with productive agriculture assets to rebuild their lives and livelihoods.
The intervention, the United Nation's food organization said is in collaboration with the governments of Norway, United States of America, Switzerland, and the European Union.
FAO's representative ad interim in Nigeria and ECOWAS, Mr. Dominique Koffy Kouacou, disclosed this at the launch of the 2024 rainy season input distribution to the beneficiaries on Monday at Dusuma area of Jere local government area of Borno State.
Kouacou said the 2024 intervention in the state will benefit 9,975 households across seven local government area, adding that the support will help households mitigate the escalating food insecurity while at the same time build resilience of the returnees in the settled communities and other vulnerable families in the state.
"FAO's emergency strategy aims to strengthen the food production capacity of farming and agro-pastoral communities in conflict affected areas.
"FAOs vision of zero hunger as highlighted by the SDG2, guides our intervention through procurement and distribution of nutrient dense vegetables, cereals, and legume quality seeds and NPK fertilizers.
"This year, with the funding support from four financing partners including the Governments of Norway, United States of America, Switzerland, and the European Commission, FAO is supporting 26,750 vulnerable households, including returning IDPS and their host communities with productive agriculture assets to rebuild their lives and livelihoods.
"The 2024 intervention in Borno state will benefit 9,975 households across 7 Local Government Areas in the State. The support by FAO will help households mitigate the escalating food insecurity while at the same time build resilience of the returnees in the settled communities.
"It is our expectation that these interventions will improve food production and income generation and build resilience among conflict-affected returnee households," Kouacou said.
He conveyed FAO's appreciation on the strong collaboration with the Borno State Government, particularly, the support by the state's governor, Prof. Babagana Zulum.
In his remarks, Borno State acting governor, Alhaji Umar Kadafur, said the bold and imaginative initiative is a collaborative effort between the state government and FAO to help the people, especially those recently relocated back to their ancestral homes to restart a meaningful livelihood and improve their productive capabilities and general well-being.
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He listed the inputs being distributed to include assorted improved seeds of cereals, legumes, maize and vegetables as well as bags of wet-blended NPK fertilizer.
"The distribution aims at targeting subsistent and small-scale farmers, numbering about 26,750 of them in Borno, Adamawa, Yobe and Taraba States. About half of the beneficiaries are however from Borno State alone.
"The Borno state government is indeed aware of the strategic role being played by the Food and Agricultural Organisation, particularly in assisting victims of the insurgency, and in our collective efforts to bring about viable and sustainable peace and security in the State.
"Government would continue to solicit the cooperation of international organisations, especially our international partners and non-governmental bodies in our determined efforts to address the multifarious challenges of development confronting the state, with a view to improving the well-being and livelihood of our people," Kadafur said.
