By SADIQ ABUBAKAR, Maiduguri –
Over 140,000 households in Borno State have been empowered by the Borno State Government in collaboration with the Food and Agricultural Organization( FAO), UN Women and World Food Program, powered by European Union (EU) in their efforts to restore and promote sustainable agricultural livelihoods for food security, employment and Nutrition improvement in the state.
Governor Babagana Zulum of Borno state said, “the projects which is being implemented in 13 Local Government Areas is aimed at restoring and promoting sustainable agricultural based livelihoods for food security, employment and nutrition which was launched in 2018 with the targets of 99,500 households but now exceeded to 140,,000 households.”
Speaking at the event for EU Trust Fund Project result celebration held at the Multipurpose Hall of the Government House, Maiduguri on Tuesday, the governor also commended the EU, UN women, FAO and WFP for the project, while calling for more collaboration for the resettlements of IDPs to their ancestral homes.
Represented by his Deputy, Alh Umar Kadafur, he further said that the project was significant to the state government, noting that it came at the time the state government is relocating thousands of IDPs back to their communities which will immensely enhance food security and their livelihoods
In his remarks, the FAO Representative, Mr Fred Kafero, said, “it is gratifying that today the journey we started 3 years ago today. We are harvesting its result after 3 years of successful journey. We are here to assess the successes and challenges of the project.”
“Prior to the insurgency, agriculture have been the major livelihoods of the people but the insurgency has thrown the displaced people into lack of food, employment, poverty but with gradual return of peace, people are now returning to their homes and farmlands. More need to be done”, Fred said.
Also speaking, the representative of the UN women, Ms Comfort Lamprey said over 300,000 women have benefitted from enhanced knowledge and skill, while 40 women cooperatives have been formed.
In his remark, the World Food Program (WFP) Representative, Mr Ronard Sibanda, said the project which was implemented by the FAO, UN women, WFP, Borno State government and funded by the EU have gulped about N2.5 billion to support the vulnerable persons with foods, nutrition and enhanced livelihood.
In his presentation , Professor Tijjami Salisu of University of Maiduguri, said despite the successes of the project, it has encountered challenges such as inaccessibility to farmlands due to insecurity, cash transfer, network problem, COVID 19 lockdown, government policies such as that of SIM registration and issues of fertilizer clearance among others.
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