The European Union (EU) Support to Social Safety Net (SOSAN) and other development partners in collaboration with the Kebbi State government has held a crucial state level- inception meeting to strategise on how Kebbi State will enjoy rapid development and achieve measurable drop in extreme poverty.

Other development partners in the meeting include Oxfam, SOLIDARITEs ASHWHAN and JIRODOO.

Declaring open the meeting held at Gwadangaji in Birnin Kebbi, Oxfam country director, Tijani Hamzat said EU SOSAN intends to inject capital directly into the hands of the vulnerable through secure cash transfer and funds local SME's.

It also plans to build localised food infrastructure and economic food banks to protect against seasonal starvation and climate-induced crop failures and equip farmers and youths with climate-smart agricultural training and solar technologies.

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According to Hamzat, the meeting is also part of strategies on how EU SOSAN and Oxfam and other development partners will implement £10 million project where over 328,838 individuals will benefit directly from the support while another 485,000 people across the six local government areas of Kebbi State will also be included.

The country director further disclosed that 315 community food banks would be constructed and stocked to strengthen local food system to mitigate climate-related shocks.

Declaring the meeting opened, Governor Nasir Idris commended EU-SOSAN and other development partners for initiating such an important project which will mitigate the abject poverty among the vulnerable groups in kebbi State.

Representated by his deputy, Senator Abubakar Umar Tafida, Governor Idris noted that his administration would continue to welcome both internal and international development partners who can uplift the society.

Kebbi State first lady, Hajiya Nasare Nasir Idris, commended EU-SOSAN and other development partners for initiating the meeting and expressed her support for the project.