How Displaced Families In N/E Nigeria Tackle Food Insecurity

By Sola Ogundipe For almost a decade, conflict spearheaded by the
Boko Haram insurgency sparked off large-scale
violence and insecurity in the northeastern region
of Nigeria, resulting in one of the largest
humanitarian crises in Africa. The sustained insurgency attacks forced millions to
abandon their homes and predominantly
agricultural livelihoods, leading to disruptions and
decreased income. Across the Lake Chad Basin region incorporating
parts of neighbouring countries and 16 States in
northeastern region,an estimated seven million
people risk suffering from severe hunger. HARVEST: Women with baskets of tomatoes harvested from farmlands provided under the Restoring Agricultural Assets of IDPs, Returnees and Vulnerable Host Families in NorthEast Nigeria project, put together by the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations; the UN Central Emergency Response Fund and the governments of Ireland, Japan and Belgium. But even as the trend of the insecurity is declining,
and most areas are becoming relatively strife-free,
indicators show that there is growing concern for
the food and nutrition security and livelihood of
populations in the affected States. Already, more than two million men, women and
children that previously abandoned their homes
and livelihoods, are gradually returning. Many Internally Displaced People, IDPs, in host
communities with access to land are returning to
farming. The returnees are gradually having
access to their land, and looking forward to
benfiting from the forthcoming rainy season to
begin planting. Findings revealed that humanitarian costs have
been on the increase in recent times and the
restoration of agriculture-based livelihoods is key
to recovery and peace efforts in the region Even as the trend of the insecurity is declining,
indicators show that there is concern for the food
and nutrition security and livelihood of the
populations in these affected states.