An international NGO, OXFAM has empowered over 35,000 households on improving their food security in Adamawa and Kebbi states.
Mr Faleye Usman, the Governance and Influencing Coordinator of OXFAM made this known while addressing some beneficiaries of the programme in Dumne village of Song LGA in Adamawa.
Usman said the programme which started in 2016 was in collaboration with European Union (EU) and the Christian Rural and Urban Development Association of Nigeria (CRUDAN).
Usman said that 20,000 households benefitted in Adamawa, while 15,000 households benefitted in Kebbi.
He said that the beneficiaries in Adamawa were drawn from Song, Fufore, Mubi and Guyuk LGA, while those in Kebbi were drawn from Danko-Wasagu and Jega LGAs.
The coordinator explained that the beneficiaries from 40 rural communities were grouped into 257 self managed groups for the programme.
According to him, the overall objective of the programme was to improve the food/nutrition security and resilience of vulnerable households in disaster and conflict affected communities.
Highlighting some aspects of the programme, Usman said that 1, 400 groups benefited from it Village Savings and Loans (VSL), where 140 Community Lead Farmers in 70 Community Farmers Field Training School (FFTS) were also supported.
“The ProAct also distributed 125,612 bags of fertilizer to 22,300 Farmers and 442 water pumps using the Input Revolving Fund mechanism.
“Under the Unconditional Cash Transfer (UCT), 2,870 persons benefitted and 5,740 others got Livestock Transfer Program ,where households got one she-goat, 10 hens, one cock per household; one he-goat/10 households.”
He further said that about 350 community Food Reserves/Grain Banks are being constructed.
Mrs Biyaya Bala, a beneficiary of VSLA in Koti, lauded the support which she said had empowered her to the extend of assisting her husband who is now a 300 level student at university of Maiduguri.
Another beneficiary, Alhaji Audu Ferefere of Malabu village, said he realized N180,000 from sales of chaff using his thrashing and milling machines acquired under the programme within the past 17 months.
