Jutha Gupah, Maiduguri
November 23, 2017.
The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations has,
distributed farm and irrigation inputs to 700, 000 Internally
Displaced Persons (IDPs) for this year’s dry season farming in the
Northeast.
Distributing the farm inputs on Thursday in Maiduguri, the Country
Representative, Suffyan Koroma, disclosed that adequate arrangements
were made by the agency to engage 700, 000 displaced farmers in
2017/2018 dry season farming in three states of Adamawa, Borno and
Yobe.
He said no less than 270, 000 farmers displaced by Boko Haram
insurgency in Borno state; would be supported with fertilizers, seeds,
pesticides and water pumps.
Koroma said: “These FAO targeted farmers; were selected from 16 local
government areas of Borno state. The dry season irrigation scheme; was
to mobilise and encourage the returning IDPs fully participate in rice
and vegetables production.”
He added that 400 bulls and 6, 600 goats would also be distributed to
youth and women for animal restocking to boost livestock and milk
production.
“I commended the state government over its support to the
implementation of this programme,” he said.
The organization, according to him, had assisted over one million
farmers during the past cropping season in the eight-year insurgency
affected region.
Governor Kashim Shettima of Borno state thanked the Organisation season farming in the state and Northeast.
He assured the ural agency of effective monitoring and
implementation of agricultural irrigation scheme for food security and
job creation.
“We have put in machinery to monitor and guard against the diversions
of FAO distributed irrigation facilities, fertilizers and improved
seeds,” he said.
