A journey to Chibok
FAO provides humanitarian assistance in the three most affected North Eastern States of Nigeria
Repeated attacks on civilians from Boko Haram have led to massive displacements and negatively impacted livelihoods in North Eastern Nigeria. Displaced people rely on the limited resources of their host communities, placing the most vulnerable households under extreme pressure. In order to prevent a further degradation of the food security situation, FAO and its partners have provided food assistance to settled Internally Displacd Persons (IDPs) host families and home returnees in the three most affected NE-States during the 2015 lean season. This assistance was critical as facing critical levels of insecurity, many farmers had left their villages just before the 2014 harvest.
Meeting the challenges
Despite reduced access to this remote area, the Good Way Mission met the challenge of reaching the crisis-hit communities. Reverend Pona tells the story of one of the aid convoys’ journey from Maiduguri to Chibok:
"On the first day, we saw nobody along the road, nothing apart empty shelves of bullets. The area has been deserted, nobody lives there anymore. The trip was sometimes stressful and we could feel the danger, as the road. After a five-day trip to achieve a distance of 133 km, much needed inputs were finally delivered in Chibok. It was with great relief that women heads of household, lactating women, mothers with young children, disabled and elderly IDPs collected their food baskets, each of them containing bags of rice, maize, oil, sugar, among other items."
Food insecure families’ relief
A total of 1000 households, including the families of the abducted girls, have benefited from this assistance seized to meet their food needs for three month.
The FAO Representative in Nigeria, Ms. Louise Setshwaelo said “even with security and logistical challenges we faced, it is heartwarming to know that with this support, we have been able to provide some relief to families facing a very difficult food security situation”.
Reverend Pona also expresses his satisfaction after overcoming such difficulties: ‘I am really happy that we made it, and it’s moving to see these people getting enough to eat! This assistance directly alleviates the people’s suffering. We need to continue to help communities in remote areas like Chibok as far as access remains possible, because the needs remain huge’.
Indeed even if about 70 percent of IDPs have returned to Chibok, most of them have settled in the city as the fear of repeated attacks and lootings is still preventing them to return to their fields.
FAO is providing humanitarian assistance in the three most affected North Eastern States, including food assistance in Adamawa, Borno and Yobe States to 6 475 households thanks to the support of the United Nations Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF). FAO’s response also includes provision of agricultural inputs to support production as well as livelihood-based interventions to allow for a transition from emergency support to relief and development. Coordination of the food security sector and food security analysis are also at the core of FAO’s interventions.
For more information please contact
Louise Setshwaelo
FAO Representative in Nigeria
FAO Representation
Old CBN Building N°4 Zaria Street Off Samuel Ladoke, Akintola Boulevard Garki II, Abuja
E-mail: [email protected]