FAO |
For almost a
decade, conflict spearheaded by the Boko Haram insurgency sparked off
large-scale violence and insecurity in the northeastern region of
Nigeria, resulting in one of the largest humanitarian crises in Africa.
The sustained
insurgency attacks forced millions to abandon their homes and
predominantly agricultural livelihoods, leading to disruptions and
decreased income.
Across the Lake
Chad Basin region incorporating parts of neighbouring countries and 16
States in northeastern region,an estimated seven million people risk
suffering from severe hunger.
But even as the
trend of the insecurity is declining, and most areas are becoming
relatively strife-free, indicators show that there is growing concern
for the food and nutrition security and livelihood of populations in the
affected States.
Already, more than
two million men, women and children that previously abandoned their
homes and livelihoods, are gradually returning.
Many Internally
Displaced People, IDPs, in host communities with access to land are
returning to farming. The returnees are gradually having access to their
land, and looking forward to benfiting from the forthcoming rainy
season to begin planting.
Findings revealed
that humanitarian costs have been on the increase in recent times and
the restoration of agriculture-based livelihoods is key to recovery and
peace efforts in the region
Even as the trend
of the insecurity is declining, indicators show that there is concern
for the food and nutrition security and livelihood of the populations in
these affected states.
A joint report
tagged "Cadre Harmonise for Identification of Risk Areas and Vulnerable
Populations in 16 States of Nigeria", on the analysis of current and
projected situations of acute food and nutrition insecurity , showed
that the nutritional status that is in stress in Borno, Kano, Katsina,
Kebbi, Zamfara and Yobe States, may fall within the critical threshold
during the lean season.
The report, put
together by the Federal government of Nigeria, Food and Agriculture
Organisation, FAO, and the Permanent Interstate Committee for Drought
Control in The Sahel, CILSS is the current regional framework for
consensual analysis of food insecurity situations. It aims to have the
results of food insecurity analysis applied to prevent food crisis by
identifying affected areas and populations and proferring appropriate
measures to improve their food and nutrition security and livelihoods.
Surveys by the FAO showed that in October 2016 and March 2017. The food consumption levels in most of the states is minimal.
Some of the states are facing nutritional challenges especially among children aged under five years.
In 2016, FAO
enabled 146,000 people to produce their own cereals, vegetables and
pulses during the rainy season. A further 174,400 people are currently
being reached for the dry season with vegetable seed and, irrigation
support.
In the view of the
Director General of the FAO, of the United Nations, Dr. Graziano da
Silva, the goal is not that the people should continue to rely on food
assistance, rather, restoration of agriculture-based livelihoods is key
to recovery and peace efforts in Lake Chad Basin region.
Graziano da Silva
who spoke during a visit to a farm centre on the outskirt of Maiduguri,
said the need to garner humanitarian assistance to assist the people in
hunger-threatened rural communities in the war-afflicted Lake Chad Basin
region, said the time to act is now.
"If we miss the
coming planting season, there will be no substantial harvests until
2018. Failure to restore food production now will lead to the worsening
widespread and severe hunger and prolonged dependency on external
assistance further into the future," he cautioned.
A professor of
agriculture and former Brazilian Minister of Agriculture, Graziano da
Silva said his visit was to increase presence of the FAO and help reduce
the huge food and nutrition crisis faced by people in the region.
"We have prepared a
proposal for development of the Lake Chad Basin. The proposal envisages
to give response strategy from 2017 to 2019 for developing the
agricultural potential in preventing the risk of severe hunger during
the lean season.
"Peace is not a condition for development, rather development is a condition for peace," he stated.
"We need to go beyond the symptoms and get to the root cause of this crisis
The situation in the northeastern part of the country is not just humanitarian but ecological.
"It is not enough just to provide them with food, their hope and livelihood must be restored."
In 2017, under the
Humanitarian Response Plan for Nigeria, the FAO, of the United Nations
is seeking $62 million, of which $20 million is urgently required to
reach 1.9 million people in the region during the upcoming main planting
season starting May 2017.
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