United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) with funding from Japan has expanded its response to revitalise food insecurity and malnutrition in Borno, Adamawa and Yobe states.
This initiative aligns itself to the sustainable development goals on food security and nutrition in line with the second pillar of the Yokohoma Declaration of 2019.
FAO, in a statement, by its communication specialists, Emmanuel Kihaule and David Tsokar, said priority would be placed in boosting local production of nutritious food among Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), host communities and returnees.
It noted that the initiative would support production and distribution of energy saving stoves to reduce frequency of fetching firewood in bushes and associated risks to women and the environment.
Quoting FAO’s Nigeria’s Representative to the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Mr. Fred Kafeero, it said the result of the latest Cadre Harmonise analysis, led by Nigeria, showed worrisome consumption deficiencies and malnutrition.
Kafeero noted that the intervention targeted enhanced availability and access to fresh and nutritious foods, as well as energy for cooking to improve food security and nutrition to protect vulnerable households.
The statement said 49,000 people would be reached by the project.
It, however, noted that the funds from Japan would contribute to FAO’s plan and funding requirements as contained in 2022 Humanitarian Response Plan (HRP) in Borno, Adamawa and Yobe.
“Accordingly, the initiative targets to support the anticipated beneficiaries at the peak of the lean seasons to enable them engage in farm activities without disruptions that come with the search for food and, fuel as well as energy for food preparation.
“FAO’s sustained intervention in Northeast has remained critical in restoring the livelihoods of conflict-affected population and in this context it is hinged on the objective of improving food security, nutritional status among vulnerable conflict and pandemic affected households as Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), returnees, women and girls in Borno, Adamawa and Yobe states”, it said.