In a bid to bolster agricultural activities and enhance food security in Borno State, the Victims Support Fund (VSF) has empowered 3,000 peasant farmers with essential farming inputs for the dry farming season. The distribution exercise, which took place in Ngamboru Ngala and Gwoza Local Government Areas (LGAs), aimed to equip farmers with the necessary tools to boost productivity and mitigate the impact of insurgency on food production.
Supervised by the Executive Director of VSF, Prof. Nana Tanko, the distribution event held in Ngamboru town witnessed the provision of agricultural inputs to 1,800 beneficiaries in Ngamboru-Ngala LGA and 1,200 beneficiaries in Gwoza LGA, specifically in Izge. These beneficiaries were strategically selected based on their agricultural productivity to ensure maximum impact on food production.
Each beneficiary received a package containing 25 kg of rice seed, 50 kg of fertilizer, 2 liters of insecticides, 1 liter of herbicide, and 1 knapsack sprayer. Additionally, agricultural extension workers trained by VSF were deployed to guide farmers on effective farming techniques during the dry season. By equipping farmers with necessary tools such as seeds, fertilizer, insecticides, and sprayers, the VSF initiative directly addresses the pressing need to enhance agricultural productivity in the face of challenges posed by insurgency and climate change
Speaking at the distribution event, VSF Executive Director, Prof. Nana Tanko who represented the chairman, Gen. Theophilus Yakubu Danjuma (Rtd) emphasized the importance of empowering farmers in the wake of insurgency, highlighting the critical role of agriculture in ensuring food security and economic stability. She reiterated VSF’s commitment to addressing poverty and hunger through initiatives like dry-season farming, especially in regions affected by climate change.
“VSF is committed to addressing poverty in several ways, including through dry-season farming, as rainy-season farming is no longer sustainable in Borno State due to the negative effects of climate change. Therefore, there is a need for extensive irrigation farming. The intervention is part of the VSF 2023 project to support the Borno state agricultural initiative.
“Victims Support Fund has been working in the Northeast since 2014, providing succor to victims of insurgency in areas of peace-building, livelihood and recovery, construction, and education. When we went around the town, we discovered that it is a community that is adequately engaged in dry-season farming. So, they have no doubt that the items brought will add a lot of value to the farmers. You see, people have come back to their ancestral communities. This is the last major event to be implemented by VSF in Borno state, so it means a lot to the VSF,” The VSF Executive Director mentioned
Borno State Governor, Babagana Umara Zulum, who was represented by the Commissioner of Agriculture, Hon. Bawu Musami, commended VSF for its continuous support to the state, particularly in times of need. Governor Zulum emphasized the significance of agriculture as the backbone of the state’s economy and stressed the urgency of transitioning to extensive irrigation farming due to the challenges posed by climate change.
Expressing gratitude for the support received, beneficiaries pledged to utilize the farming inputs effectively to enhance food production in their communities. They recognized the timely intervention of VSF in providing essential resources for dry-season farming, which would not only alleviate hunger but also contribute to the overall development and resilience of the agricultural sector in Borno State.
The strategic selection of beneficiaries based on their agricultural productivity ensures that the impact of the intervention is maximized, leading to improved food production and enhanced food security in Ngamboru Ngala and Gwoza Local Government Areas. These areas, which have been heavily affected by the insurgency, stand to benefit greatly from increased agricultural output, thereby reducing reliance on external aid and fostering self-sufficiency within the communities.
