By:Babagana Bukar Wakil Ngala, Maiduguri
The new Country Representative for Food and Agricultural Organisation of United Nations s, Fred Kafeero has said that 600,000 people have been added to category of those hungry over coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic in Northeast.
The over a decade long Boko Haram insurgency, has claimed 32,000 lives With property worth $9.2 billion which is equivalent to N3.42 trillion in Borno, Adamawa and Yobe states. While lamenting COVID-19 impacts, after inspecting some livelihood projects in Gongolong community of Borno state.
He said the UN has assessed the impact of pandemic to perpetuate those agricultural, livelihoods in terms of how it is impacting on food security. Adding that FAO has been working and mobilizing along with INGOs, development partners and government to see that the hungry people could access food with nutrition and incomes as part of their package of working in the Northeast.
Speaking on hard areas to reach, he said it’s not like they only targeting Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) or refugees alone, but also the host communities. Noting that the host communities are hospitable to bear and accommodate’ more people into communities.
Nigeria has a very important agricultural potential, vast fertile arable land, with which various crops could be produced and processed. Noting that government alone cannot do all the harness and development of the agricultural, forestry and livestock resources.
He said the role of private sector, has to be incorporated in the development of agricultural and livestock resources. Government, according to him, can set the enabling environment for all of them to operate.
He declared that the drivers of agriculture are the Organised Private Sector, as it can contribute to research development, new innovations and technologies. Adding that the FAO provides technical expertise in the agricultural and livestock sectors of economy
