FAO, Borno Government Launch Dry Season Farming to Combat Hunger in Northeast
By Tada Juthan, Maiduguri
The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations, in partnership with the Borno State Government, has launched the 2024/2025 dry season farming initiative to strengthen agricultural resilience in Borno, Adamawa, and Yobe states.
Speaking at the launch on Saturday in Khaddamari, Jere Local Government Area, FAO Representative in Nigeria and ECOWAS, Dominique Kouacou, highlighted the significance of the event.
“Today’s event is designed to support communities recently affected by flooding and those with newly relocated populations,” he said.
Kouacou revealed that the initiative aims to provide 50,000 households with critical inputs, including improved seeds, fertilizers, and solar-powered water pumps, to help restore livelihoods through dry-season farming.
The support is funded by global donors, including the Governments of Norway, France, the European Union Civil Protection, and Humanitarian Aid Operations (ECHO).
“The distribution of these inputs not only addresses immediate food insecurity but also paves the way for sustainable income generation. Effective use of the resources will build resilience among returnees and host communities,” Kouacou added.
Kouacou also raised concerns about the recent floods that affected over 9.2 million people and submerged 4.5 million hectares of land in October, including 1.6 million hectares of farmland.
He warned that the disasters are projected to cause a production loss of 1.1 million tons of cereal crops such as maize, sorghum, and rice—enough to feed 13 million people for a year.
“With potential losses estimated at $1 billion (₦1.6 trillion), the Northeast faces a grim future. Hunger and malnutrition threaten 3.8 million people in the region, a figure that could rise to five million by mid-2024.
“These realities have strengthened our commitment to enhancing the resilience of vulnerable households,” Kouacou stated.
Borno State Deputy Governor, Usman Kadafur, who represented Governor Babagana Zulum, commended FAO for the timely intervention.
He emphasized that the inputs, including vegetable seeds, solar-powered water pumps, and fuel-efficient stoves, would ensure food security and drive sustainable economic growth.
The state government, Kadafur noted, has established irrigation schemes across the three senatorial districts to create an enabling environment for agriculture.
He urged farmers to maximize the provided inputs for higher productivity and resilience.
This collaboration between FAO and the Borno State Government marks a pivotal step in addressing the challenges of food insecurity, climate change, and economic hardship, while fostering hope for sustainable development in the Northeast.
