- Germany, US, Others Fund North-East Food Project
The governments of Germany, Ireland, Sweden and the United States have funded the distribution of 40,000 goats to about 10,100 households in communities and camps for the Internally Displaced People in Adamawa, Borno and Yobe states.
Also to meet the immediate livestock-related and other needs of agriculture-based households, the FAO has appealed for $31.5m, of which only $17.6m has been received so far.
A statement by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation on Wednesday said the four nations as a means of addressing poverty in the troubled North-East region of Nigeria distributed the goats, Kanyi, that is native to Sahel.
The statement said, “Kanyi, a local name for Sahel breed of goat, known for its long legs and striking hair often reddish brown, has long been the dominant breed among the women herders of the Lake Chad Basin. However, due to a nine-year long insurgency, particularly in the North-East Nigeria, goat ownership has declined along with crop production among livestock owners and farmers.
“As part of a mission to invigorate goat herding among cash-strapped and food insecure women, the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations is distributing more than 57,000 Kanyi goats to about 14,400 families in 2018.”
The statement added, “Since the start of the year, about 40,000 goats have been distributed to an estimated 10,100 households across host communities and camps for the Internally Displaced People in Adamawa, Borno and Yobe states, thanks to funding from the governments of Germany, Ireland, Sweden and the United States.
“More than 17,000 more goats will be distributed to about 4,400 households until December, 2018 under Norway and EU-funded projects to restore livelihoods in the North-East.”
The statement quoted the FAO Representative in Nigeria, Suffyan Koroma, as saying, “FAO’s livestock programme is geared to helping women to better access economic opportunities and begin the recovery process.”
He said households were given a ratio of three females to one male, maximising the herd’s chances of multiplying.
