WFP, FAO, Yobe seek to ensure zero hunger in the northeast

The Yobe State Agricultural Development Programme (ADP) and the World Food Programme (WFP) have expressed commitment towards ending hunger in Yobe state through partnership.

During a courtesy visit by a team of WFP to ADP office in Yobe, the two organisations expressed concern on the need to ensure that people displaced by Boko Haram insurgency receive the needed food assistance and seeds for planting for the lean season through collaboration with the Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO).

Mustapha Goggobe, the programme manager of ADP, told the WFP team led by Mutinta Chimuka, WFP head of area office, Maiduguri, that the team had been a worthy partner in the fight against hunger not only in Yobe state but the entire northeast where insurgency has forced many people out of their homes.

“We are the implementer with WFP in Yobe and government representative coordinating with the food sector working group in the state. We share ideas that help support WFP intervention against hunger in the Northeast Nigeria,” said Goggobe.

“We acknowledge WFP’s role in fighting hunger in Yobe through food distribution and cash transfers to internally displaced people. We have been partnering with WFP for long together with FAO especially on seed distribution and protection. WFP is a strong ally and partnership is one of the best ways to ensure food security in the state,” he said.

“Infact we are making a lot of impact because of partnership with WFP. Partnership is good in this kind of work on food security. The last time FAO was distributing seed at Yusufari local government while WFP was distributing food. We like this kind of partnership. It is a success story to see WFP in Yobe,” he said.

Responding, Chimuka said, “for us the emergency assistance and saving lives is important. Through the support of authorities, we have been able to impact lives. We thank the government of Nigeria. Also, through the support of Yobe state government and its agency ADP; and other state authorities we are continually feeding people in dire need of food assistance in the Northeast Nigeria”.

“For us definitely, the emergency assistance and saving lives are critical but it is also very important that one of the component of food security is that people are able to produce their own food as much as possible at least the basic staples such as cereals, pulses and then even spread out to even more dietary diversity including cash crops.

“Now that there are opportunities within Yobe where the security is much better people can go back to their fields and farm. WFP will look for ways to contribute and achieve the big goal-Zero Hunger which is to ensure food production is increase. As a signatory to UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), Nigerian government is also committed to achieving Zero Hunger, boost food production among others.”

WFP is the world’s largest humanitarian agency fighting hunger worldwide, delivering food assistance in emergencies and working with communities to improve nutrition and build resilience. Each year, WFP assists some 80 million people in around 80 countries.