FAO vows more support for FG to build farmer’s resilience

The Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) has promised to further strengthen its partnership with the Nigerian Federal Government to help farmers build more resilience to manage the various risk factors plaguing the Agricultural Sector rather than managing disasters to shocks arising from agricultural disasters.

The move came as the country continued to grapple with food insecurity occasioned by flooding, conflict and other natural deserters.

The partnership will cover provision of technical support especially to vulnerable sections of smallholder farmers and help them build resilience of agriculture-based livelihoods to multiple shocks.

According to the body, the disasters such has displacement due to conflict floods, droughts and several other climate related disasters are here to stay but what is important is the country’s preparedness to the menace.

FAO deputy-director, office of emergencies and resilience, Shukri Ahmed hinted journalists about the development yesterday in Abuja as part of activities marking his visit to Nigeria.

Ahmed said, “The partnership in the end is to make a difference in the life of those that are in the rural areas, mostly neglected smallholders’ farmers as these are trying times as you know the shocks are increasing, and they are cascading, whether it’s climate relate one time you talk about drought, then suddenly you are we are talking about floods.

Also speaking, FAO assistant director-general, Abebe Haile-Gabriel, said because Nigeria remains a very important partner for FAO as the aim of the visit was to come and interact with different stakeholders in drive towards food security and achieving sustainable development goals agenda of zero hunger.

On his part, FAO representative to Nigeria and ECOWAS Fred Kofero said, the organisation is committed to mobilising expertise to support all the areas that we have identified.