Prog empowers 260,000 people on agriculture, nutrition
The Feed the Future Nigeria Livelihood Project has improved the livelihoods of about 260,000 people and over 52,000 vulnerable households in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and some northern states. Country representative of Catholic Relief Services (CRS) Rebecca Hallam made the disclosure yesterday in Abuja during the final dissemination of the five year project done […]
The Feed the Future Nigeria Livelihood Project has improved the livelihoods of about 260,000 people and over 52,000 vulnerable households in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and some northern states.
Country representative of Catholic Relief Services (CRS) Rebecca Hallam made the disclosure yesterday in Abuja during the final dissemination of the five year project done with support from USAID.
She said the programme improved their agricultural production, and incom generation, as well as nutrition and access to optimal water, sanitation and hygiene services (WASH).
The programme was implemented in the rural communities in Adamawa, Borno, Kebbi, Sokoto, and Yobe states and the Federal Capital Territory. It was implemented by the Catholic Relief Services with support from in collaboratio with Federation of Moslem Women’s Association in Nigeria (FOMWAN), and Mercy Corps, Catholic Caritas Foundation of Nigeria (CCFN) among others.
A beneficiary, Mustapha Bakura from Benisheik in Borno State said he used to be an unemployed Diploma graduate but has now become an agro dealer through the programme.
Mission Director USAID Stephen Haykin said the programme exemplified a Nigerian led approach in the benefiting communities as well as involving government in adapting interventions to local requirements. He added that it addressed the need for the extreme poor and serves as a model in efforts to build
resilience in rural Nigeria.
Sokoto State Governor, Aminu Tambuwal said the lives of over 24,000 households
in Sokotos state alone were transformed though integration of small holder
farmers, health empowerment, cash transfer and literacy programme among
others.
He promised to provide all necessary support to sustain the programme in his state.
Earlier, Acting Chief of Party of the project, Azeez Oseni said some of the lessons learnt from the project include the fact that linkages to the private sector was critical for sustainability, proximity to locations important to famers attendance and that women utilized their incomes better.