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EU, FAO to establish livestock, livelihoods projects in North East

By Njadvara Musa, Maiduguri
24 February 2019   |   2:40 am
The Country Representative of Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) of United Nations, Nourou Tall said the European Union (UN) Trust Fund is supporting the food agency to establish productive safety nets project in the Northeast.

The Country Representative of Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) of United Nations, Nourou Tall said the European Union (UN) Trust Fund is supporting the food agency to establish productive safety nets project in the Northeast.

Tall, who stated this while distributing 150 bulls to youths in insurgency affected councils of Jere and Konduga, Borno State, revealed that the EU used €22.2m to fund the project. He said its implementation would also involve the World Food Programme (WFP) and The United Nation Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UNWOMEN).

“About 2, 000 youths in insurgency affected states of Borno, Adamawa and Yobe will receive bulls as part of the initiative to restore livelihoods between 2018 and 2019,” he said.Tall added that they would also benefit from animal health support, livestock feed and training by FAO.

According to him, WFP will distribute cash to meet their immediate needs, while UNWOMEN will deliver gender equality and cooperative
management training.“If no humanitarian support is extended, 2.7 million people will
suffer food insecurity between June and August, 2019,” he warned.

The UN representative said the productivity of youths could be unlocked with strategic and complementary support including animal restocking for depleted herds, caused by insurgency.Other adopted strategies, he explained, include access to startup capital, markets and training in livestock production.He said the distribution of bulls and other livestock; will provide alternative source of income.

“If young people have a productive livelihood in agriculture and can meet their daily needs, they are far less likely to become hypnotized by insurgent groups,” he assured.Under the two-year project, FAO will reach about 100 000 households in Borno, including farmers, agro-pastoralists and fisher-folks.He further disclosed that to boost livestock production, 10, 000 IDP households are targeted in Borno for other livestock distribution,including goat and poultry.

Tall said all the livestock are quarantined and vaccinated, ensuring a safe introduction to the communities.The EU-funded project will also engage local and traditional leaders to promote greater youth access to land and business opportunities.

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