Witness narrates how Ex-HoS, allies diverted public funds to private companies in court
Insurgency kicks 65,800 Borno farmers out of farms, FAO says
By Modupe Shodeinde
The Food and Agricultural Organisation of the United Nations has raised the alarm of impending food insecurity in the North-East region, saying insurgency has denied 65,800 farmers access to agricultural inputs in the area.
Representative of FAO in Nigeria, Fred Kafeero, at the inauguration of the 2021 rainy season farming interventions at the Farm Centre, Maiduguri, lamented that inaccessibility to improved seeds and fertilizers, resulted in food insecurity and poverty among the populace.
Kafeero, while lamenting food insecurity, said, “The latest CH analysis results projected that over four million people will be in need of food assistance between June and August, 2021.”
He warned that there would be an increase of 19 per cent in food requirements.
According to him, it was necessary to support rainy season farming in the affected region, adding that farmers’ harvests contributed significantly to food security and income generation throughout the year.
“Access to agricultural inputs for high yields also saves lives and livelihoods of farmers,” he added.
He stated that the distribution of seeds and fertilizers has contributed to the building of people’s resilience to conflict.
He said this year, 65,800 household farmers were supported with agricultural inputs and livestock restocking for fattening, while 40,000 farmers were targeted for the distribution of inputs.
Also, the Borno State Governor, Babagana Zulum, who was represented by his Chief of Staff, Prof. Isa Hussaini, said insurgency affected the state, he added that 70 per cent of farmers were affected with the destruction of their means of livelihoods.
