Insurgency: FAO’s livelihood support excites Borno farmers
Some farmers in Borno have lauded the livelihood support programme initiated by the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) to rehabilitate and empower farmers affected by Boko Haram insurgency in North-East.
A cross section of the farmers made the commendation during the FAO Agriculture Intervention Assessment Tour on Wednesday at Gongolon community in Jere Local Government Are of the state.
One of the farmers, Abubakar Ali said the agriculture interventions by the organisation assisted him to engage in fish farming to rebuild his bussiness.
Ali, a displaced fisherman from Lake Chad basin, said the organisation supported them to set up a fish farm and vegetable clusters in Gongolon, adding the gesture transformed thier lives.
He said the gesture also encouraged more displaced farmers to joined the clusters and engaged in agricultural activities.
Other farmers, Aisha Ali and Aisha Abdulkadir, said they had been trained in briquette production to enable them to engage in productive activities.
Abdulkadir said that she alongside her peers set up briquette businesses, adding that the trade encouraged many women in the community to abandon logging which exposed them to danger.
According to her, the briquette made from rice husk, sawdust, charcoal and gum arabic is better alternative for free of pollutant fuel wood.
Also speaking, the FAO Representative, Regional Office for Africa, Mr Haile Gabriel-Abebe said the organisation had embarked on impact assessment of its interventions in the states affected by the insurgency.
He expressed satisfaction with positive impact of agricultural interventions on the lives of the beneficiaries.
The FAO representative urged the beneficiaries to extend the economic opportunities provided them in the areas of fisheries, aquaculture, vegetable and briquette productions to other members of the community.
“What we have seen today is a demonstration of what can be done to restore and sustain livelihood through agriculture based activities.
“Many of the people in the communities around here had been displaced by conflict, and instead of being depended on handouts they are trying their best to build themselves,” he said.
Gabriel-Abebe is accompanied in the visit by the Deputy Director, FAO Emergency and Resilience Office, Mr Shukri Ahmed among others.
While in Borno, the FAO team is also expected to interface with government officials and represenatives of other development partners.
