17th April, 2019
The National Association of Nigerian Traders (NANTs) in Abuja on Thursday supported 300 Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Kuje and Durumi camps with agricultural inputs to empower them to improve their livelihoods.
The support is in collaboration by NANTs, Economic Community of West African States and the Spanish International Development Agency.
Mr Ken Ukaoha, the National President of NANTs, said research showed that 90 per cent of the people in IDPs camps were traditionally farmers before they were displaced from their communities.
Ukaoha said the objective of the project was to provide agriculture livelihood for IDPs households in the camps and build their capacity for improved productivity in selected crops, such as maize and groundnut.
He said it would enhance food and nutrition security mechanism for IDPs and host community households through agronomic training and agriculture extension service.
Ukaoha said it would also foster access to agricultural tools and coping mechanism between the IDPs and their host communities.
“This project is expected to improve the livelihoods of the IDPs, empower them with the capacity to create jobs, improve food and nutrition security, and reduce the dependence of the IDPs households on government and other philanthropic organisarion.
“It will increase food production and income generation, improve collaboration and co-existence with host community, promote gradual exit from IDP status.
“The project seeks to build their capacity beyond what they originally knew of farming by providing trainings on improved technology that will result in improved productivity,’’ he said.
Ukaoha said the association would link the beneficiaries to off-takers who would buy off their produce after harvest.