The United Nations For Food and Agriculture on Thursday has launched dry season farming an assisted 711,750 farmers from States of Adamawa, Borno and Yobe farms input equipment to improved food insecurity in the region.
FAO country representative, Suffyan Koroma stated this at the Flag-off Ceremony in Maiduguri on Thursday, that North east has shown a drop from 5.2 million to 2.6 million food insecure people for the coming 6-8 months.
He noted that backbone of the North East economy and underpins the economic and social lives of the majority of 80% the population.
"For 2017, FAO is supporting more that 1.5 million people, IDPs, returnees and host communities, in the three States of Adamawa, Borno and Yobe under emergency.
"For the Dry season, the programme is planned to assist 711 750 people (109 500 Households), in the States of Adamawa, Borno and Yobe, including IDPs in formal and informal camps, returnees and host communities in the LGAs in emergency and crisis phases."Koroma said.
The UN Boss explained that food insecurity has dropped drastically from more than 5 million in northern part of the country.
"The latest October Cadre Harmonise (CH) Analysis of Food and Nutrition Insecurity carried out across 17 states of Northern Nigeria including Borno state in October 2017 is very encouraging in a way that the Government response along with the national and international response in the North east has shown a drop from 5.2 million to 2.6 million food insecure people for the coming 6-8 months."
He stressed that the overall aims objectives for both rainy and dry season programme is to contribute to the improvement of the food security and nutrition of people affected by the conflict in the northeastern States by restoring of agricultural livelihoods.
" In Borno alone, 64,801 Households (421,206 people) were reached with improved seeds of household staple crops including Millet, Maize, Cowpea and Sorghum.
In addition, women headed households received seeds of vegetables kits which included Okra, Sorel, Roselle, and Amaranthus. Each beneficiary household also received one 25kg bag of NPK fertilizer. This intervention has considerably boosted the household food security of multiple types of populations: the IDP, returnee and host communities in Borno state and also facilitated livelihood generation by helping them process and sale their products to increase their household income levels."said UN boss.
In his response, Gov. Kashim Shettima thanked the UNFOA for their efforts to fight hunger in the region.
By Omirin Olatunji,
Daily Trust News
