FAO disburses $47,500 in nutrition supplements to Borno flood victims
By Tada Jutha, Maiduguri
The Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) has disbursed $47,500 (N76 million) and nutrition supplements to flood victims in Borno State.
According to the organisation, the flood victims comprise over 4,680 children and other vulnerable households living on the riverbanks in the Maiduguri metropolis and its environs.
Flagging off the disbursement of cash and flood relief materials on Friday in Maiduguri, the FAO representative, Daouda Doumbra, and Head of Office, Northeast Sub Regional Office, Maiduguri, disclosed: “These floods have impacted thousands of households and caused significant damage to croplands across the region,” stating that the distribution of flood relief materials and the cash transfers of $47,500 to the 1, 000 affected households in the Jere local council.
Doumbra noted that this is part of FAO’s continued efforts to support vulnerable populations affected by natural disasters in the northeast.
Additionally, he said: “The affected households will also receive cash transfers as part of the Cash+ program, with each of them receiving $50 (N80,000).
He noted that the cash transfers will enhance food security and promote sustainable agricultural practices in the flood-affected communities.
He continued: “The distribution of homestead gardening inputs will be integrated with the Cash initiative,” stating that FAO is targeting the same 950 households to ensure a comprehensive approach to livelihood support with improved seeds of vegetables populations affected by natural disasters to enhance food security.
On children’s Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM), he said: “We’re to complement existing nutrition programs by addressing critical food security needs in both internally displaced persons (IDP) camps and flood-affected communities.”
Besides fighting malnutrition, he added that the distribution of Tom Brown, a locally sourced supplementary food for children with malnutrition,.
Other distributed flood relief materials included Safe Access to Fuel and Energy (SAFE) kits and animal health services to improve nutrition and resilience building for the most vulnerable populations in the face of climate-related challenges.
*Key Actions: Monday, 14 October 2024*
Distribution of Tom Brown (Locally Produced Supplementary Food (LPSF)): On Monday, 14 October 2024, FAO will commence the distribution of “Tom Brown,” a locally sourced He stated that each child will receive 12 kg of supplementary food over an 8-week period to improve their nutritional status and support overall food security among the vulnerable populations.
“We’re distributing SAFE kits, including a fuel-efficient stove and 28 kg of briquettes, to 1, 000 flood-affected households,” he said, assuring that this will reduce the risk of environmental degradation and promote safer cooking practices.
On future plans to protect livestock assets, he said that animal health services will be enhanced by providing mass vaccination, deworming, and treatment for over 40,000 livestock to more than 3,000 households.
He said that the intervention in the livestock sector was critical in protecting the livestock assets of flood-affected families and ensuring their livelihoods remain resilient.
The FAO regional boss added that the distribution of homestead gardening inputs will be integrated with the cash initiative, targeting 950 households to ensure a comprehensive approach to livelihood support.
While thanking the UN agency, the Borno Flood Relief Committee (BFRC) Co-Chairman, Prof. Ibrahim Umara of the University of Maiduguri (UNIMAID), said that the distributed flood relief materials and the cash transfers will equitably reach the identified flood victims.
He noted that FAO’s flood relief support will also complement the state government’s efforts to restore people’s livelihoods, including the loss of 5,000 hectares of farmlands in the three flood-affected local councils.
