Acting Governor of Borno State, Umar Usman Kadafur has Flagged off the Distribution of Crop Production Inputs For The 2024 Rainy Season.
Organized by the Borno State Government in collaboration with the Food And Agricultural Organization, FAO, the Acting Governor eiterated Government’s determination to support Farmers For Improved Livelihood.
Kadafur said, Borno State Government is indeed aware of the strategic role being played by the Food and Agricultural Organization, particularly in assisting victims of the insurgency in bringing about viable and sustainable livelihood to the populace.
This he said, is against the background that the state Government is relentless working for the peace and security in the of citizens..
Kadafur said, “this bold initiative is a collaborative effort between the Borno state government and the Food and Agricultural Organization to help our people, especially those recently relocated back to their ancestral homes, to restart a meaningful livelihood and improve their productive capabilities and general well-being”.
“The inputs being distributed today include assorted improved seeds of cereals, legumes, maize and vegetables as well as bags of wet-blenked NPK fertiliser” he added.
According to him, the distribution aims at targeting subsistence and small scale farmers, numbering about 26,750, in Borno, Adamawa, Yobe and Taraba States, stresding “about half of the beneficiaries are however from Borno State alone”.
Umar Usman Kadafur noted that Borno state is essentially an agrarian state and majority of the people are engaged in various aspects of agricultural activities, thus. the distribution of these crop inputs, will encourage farmers to be more determined in engaging in farming activities and towards having a reliable and dependable means of livelihood.
On his part, the FAO representative in Nigeria and Ecowas Dominique Koffy, said FAO has been implementing an extensive programme targeting IDPs, returnees and host communities in the three states most affected by the conflict in the northeast.
“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 4 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”. He averred.
There were speeches by representatives of commissioner for agriculture and natural resources, World Food Programme and chairperson of Jere local government.
The Acting Governor was accompanied by the APC State Chairman Rt.Hon.Bello Ayuba,Secretary to the Borno State government Hon.Bukar Tijjani,Members of the Borno State executive council,Deputy Chief of Staff Alhaji Haruna Hassan Tela,Special Advisers,Senior Special Assistant,Principle Secretary to the Acting Governor Alhaji Mohammed Adamu Lawan,Permanent Secretaries among other top government officials.
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