The Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) has launched a major intervention to support 50,000 farmers in Borno, Adamawa, and Yobe states during the 2024-2025 dry farming season.
The initiative aims to address the region’s food insecurity crisis, affecting millions due to conflict, floods, and other challenges.
Speaking at the launch in Khaddamari, Borno State, on Saturday, FAO Representative in Nigeria, Mr. Dominique Koffy Kouacou, highlighted the program’s scope and the critical support from donors, including Norway, the European Union (ECHO), USAID, and others.
The intervention will distribute farming inputs to 50,000 households across 24 local government areas, with beneficiaries receiving seeds, fertiliser, and water pumps.
Specifically, households will get 10 kg of maize seeds or 12.5 kg of rice seeds, vegetable seeds, and 25 kg of NPK fertiliser. Groups of farmers will also share petrol-powered water pumps for irrigation.
In Borno State, 24,500 households in 12 LGAs will receive support, while 9,800 households in Adamawa and 14,700 in Yobe will also benefit.
The intervention prioritises recently relocated communities and those affected by floods, droughts, and armyworm infestations.
“This initiative is designed to help communities recover and build resilience by enabling farmers to re-engage in agriculture during the dry season,” Kouacou stated.
The program also incorporates a humanitarian component.
In Khaddamari, 300 households with children under five received Safe Access to Fuel and Energy (SAFE) kits, which include stoves, briquettes, and locally made nutritional supplements known as Tom Brown.
Highlighting the severity of the situation, Kouacou pointed to the latest Cadre Harmonisé analysis, which estimates that 4.9 million people in North-East Nigeria face food insecurity.
This includes 2 million in Borno, 1.6 million in Yobe, and 1.3 million in Adamawa. Conflict, floods, and pest infestations have devastated over 300,000 hectares of farmland, impacting 880,000 people.
Representing Governor Babagana Zulum, Borno State Deputy Governor, Umar Kadafur praised the initiative and reaffirmed the government’s commitment to supporting farmers.
“Agriculture is the backbone of our State’s economy, and the dry season presents both challenges and opportunities. The support we are providing today will equip our farmers with the necessary tools to maximize their productivity during this critical season,” Kadafur said.
