By Njadvara MUSA, Maiduguri
The Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) of the United Nations has targeted 42,400 household farmers in Borno, Adamawa, Yobe, Sokoto and Taraba States.
Out of the vulnerable households, 19, 898 smallholder farmers are in Borno state; affected by the over a decade insurgency.
Flagging of the 2022 distribution of farm inputs, yesterday (Thursday), in Maiduguri, the Head of FAO Northeast Office, Al Hassan Cisse, disclosed that; “Our support will help households to mitigate the escalating food insecurity and build resilience of the returnees in resettled communities.”
Cisse, represented by Tofiq Braimah, said that the distributed improved seeds will increase food production and income generation of farmers.
Besides, he added that the seeds could also build resilience among the conflict-affected returnee households in five insurgency affected states.
He noted that the distributed seeds could raise farmers’ productive agriculture assets to rebuild their livelihoods in communities.
According to him; “CH findings however projected; that by July 2022, about 4.1 people would be at risk of food insecurity in Borno, Adamawa and Yobe States.”
Responding, the Commissioner of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Ali Mustapha said that the FAO agricultural support, is one of the 10-point pact transformation agenda of the State Government.
He said that farmers were not only affected by the insurgency, but the restricted in accessing their farmlands during the COVID-19 lockdown.
On impacts of distributed inputs, he said that the distributed seeds could be reproduced for several years to increase farmers’ productivity and incomes.
Mustapha, therefore warned the beneficiaries against sale and consumption of cowpea, onions and other vegetables’ seeds.
He said the farmers are to be sensitized against the sale and consumption of seeds through their religious and community leaders.
