The Norwegian Government has committed $1.4 million to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) to tackle food insecurity in the conflict-affected North-East region of Nigeria.
The Norwegian Ambassador to Nigeria, Svein Baera, announced the support during a signing ceremony held on Wednesday in Abuja.
He emphasized Norway’s continued commitment to humanitarian assistance, despite global reductions in aid budgets.
“We are living in a time when global aid is declining, and some countries have had to cut their budgets for various reasons. That has led to tougher decisions on aid priorities, both in Nigeria and globally,” Baera said.
“In this context, I’m proud and pleased that Norway has been able to provide additional funds to FAO in Nigeria to help feed those in need across several states,” he added.
Dominique Kouacou, FAO Representative in Nigeria and ECOWAS, welcomed the funding, noting that it would allow the organization to scale up recovery and resilience efforts in the region.
“With this support, we will intensify training for farmers, provide critical agricultural inputs, and boost production to help communities overcome hunger and rebuild livelihoods,” Kouacou said.
He stressed FAO’s commitment to accountability, assuring that every dollar received from Norway would directly support food security efforts in the country.
“So far, we have supported more than 700,000 people in the North-East through various agricultural initiatives. Earlier this year, we had planned to support 50 farmers, but due to funding constraints, we could only assist 25. With this new funding, we will be able to provide more fertilisers and seedlings to a greater number of farmers,” he explained.
The intervention will cover Borno, Adamawa, Yobe, and Taraba States, with a focus on improving food production and building climate resilience in vulnerable communities.
