Addressing the Northeast Crisis - Norway Okays Fresh $4.5m for Food Security, Others in Nigeria

The Government of Norway has provided an additional funding of $4.5 million in support of the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO), humanitarian efforts in addressing the crisis in the northeast, through resilience building of livelihoods of the affected populations.

The funding support is targeted at implementing an existing project aimed at scaling-up food security, nutrition and sustainable livelihoods in Borno, Adamawa, Yobe and Taraba States.

The FAO Representative in Nigeria and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), Fred Kafeero, who spoke during the signing of Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) ceremony between the UN body and the Norwegian Government in Abuja, noted that the support from the Government of Norway has amounted to $24 million since the beginning of the crisis.

Kafeero added that the support has reached over 1,19877 conflict affected people at present and still counting. According to him, since 2017, the Government of Norway through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, has been generously contributing to rebuilding the lives and livelihoods of the most vulnerable communities in Northeast Nigeria that are affected by the now over a decade-long conflict.

For the 2023 Humanitarian Response Plan (HRP), Kafeero noted that FAO, being a key provider of livelihood support in the food security sector, has set a target of reaching two million people. He added that currently, only 56,000 individuals have been reached.

He said: “Moreover, an analysis of the funding trends reveals that only 3.4 out of 100 units of total funding allocated to the food security sector are directed towards livelihood interventions. In this regard, this addendum for a complementary fund for 2023 is deemed more than important, not only because it marks the continuous and fruitful collaboration and partnership that exists between the Government of Norway and FAO in Nigeria, but also because it will contribute to filling the livelihoods funding gap for the 2023 lean season”.

Earlier, the Ambassador of the Royal Norwegian Embassy in Nigeria, Knut Eiliv Lein, said the $4.5 million additional funding commitment made by the Government is aimed at supporting agriculture and people impacted by the conflict.