The impact of insurgency in the North-east has been devastating with many dead and millions displaced. The federal government has solicited and got assistance aimed at rebuilding the region. JOHN OBA, writes on Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO) 2017 plans for the region.
No doubt the rebuilding of the north east is gathering momentum with the target of N2.13 trillion for a comprehensive building if the north east within a period of four years and an immediately need of over N427 billion for the first year budget implementation according to the Presidential Committee for North East Initiative (PCNI), every single contribution from donors and international agencies in whatever ways will go a long way to reduce the burden of the federal government.
One of such help will be coming from the FAO, in Nigeria that is prepared to commit $62 million under the Humanitarian Response Plan for Nigeria in it 2017. Outlining it working plan for the year, FAO stated that of $62 million, $20 million is urgently required to reach 1.9 million people during the upcoming main planting season starting in June 2017. Missing this season will mean food insecurity and, therefore, humanitarian costs will continue rising into 2018.
It stated that a combination of food assistance and food production support is the only way to address the scale of hunger facing the people of north eastern Nigeria.
In its analysis of the northeast situation report, more than 80 per cent of north eastern Nigeria’s rural population depends on crop or livestock farming while the Boko Haram insurgency has led to massive displacements and high levels of food insecurity in the area.
The organisation states that with over 5.1 million people faced with acute food insecurity in north eastern states of Adamawa, Borno and Yobe, immediate intervention is required to assist these populations. It states further that a recent Special IPC alert on Borno state noted that a famine is likely ongoing and will continue in inaccessible areas of the state assuming conditions remain the same. The alert also noted that the current response is insufficient to meet needs.
“Already poor and vulnerable host communities have absorbed large numbers of people fleeing violence, placing considerable pressure on fragile agricultural and pastoral livelihoods, while the insecurity has severely disrupted markets and food availability. The October 2016 Cadre Harmonisé underlined the critical food insecurity and malnutrition in the worst-hit and least accessible areas, with food availability predicted to decline moving towards the lean season.
“The October 2016 Food Security and Vulnerability Analysis underscored the gravity of the situation, indicating that less than a quarter of households in Borno State had produced crops in 2016, while one-fifth of families reported having no livelihood source and almost three-quarters were deploying crisis coping strategies,” it stated.
It further revealed that under it plan for Nigeria, FAO will be assisting 1.72 million people. Saying of money, $35 million is needed to assist 1 million people in the first half of 2017, including $20 million to support the critical main cropping season.
As part of it target for the year, FAO will help to provide alternative livelihood support for 500,000 people with fast-maturing nutrient-rich cereal and pulse seeds, fertilizers, seed multiplication assistance, post-harvest storage, vegetable and fruit production, food processing, agricultural infrastructure. Saying, FAO’s dry season campaign is ongoing, with 174 400 people receiving vegetable seed, irrigation equipment and livestock support.
And would provide all year round alternative livelihood support with viable, sustainable aquaculture, livestock infrastructure, animal health, livestock feed and restocking, SAFE kits for women such as fuel-efficient stoves, solar lanterns, whistles, in agriculture and market rehabilitation-related cash transfers
However, FAO expressed concern on challenges facing agriculture and food.
As the main planting season, which is a critical period in the agricultural calendar approaches, it said farmers lack the inputs they need to ensure production.
It revealed that a FAO Seeds System Security Assessment indicated that the insurgency has negatively impacted on both the formal and informal seed systems in the northeastern states.
It stated that its recent mission demonstrated that IDPs have access to land and there is no evidence of tension with host communities at this stage, meaning there is a real opportunity now to significantly increase food production and availability in 2017.
“However, agriculture-based livelihood interventions remain weakly funded. Missing the main planting season will force many IDPs, returnees and vulnerable host communities to rely on expensive and logistically challenging food assistance well into 2018.
This will have a broad negative impact – rising hunger, lack of economic and employment opportunities, and possible harmful consequences including youth radicalization and enrolment in armed groups, and increased exposure to sexual abuse and exploitation.
“In the worst affected and least accessible areas of Borno and Yobe, reaching people remains a major challenge because of restricted access due to high levels of insecurity. Pastoralists have almost been forgotten in the response to the crisis and urgently require support to protect and rebuild their herds.”
