By Olukayode Michael, Maiduguri
Food
and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) has said that youth
employment is perhaps the most portent antidote to radicalization and as such
crucial to sustaining peace in volatile regions like northeast Nigeria.FAO and
European Union Trust Fund (EUTF) have started a scheme aimed at building the
economy of youth in troubled Borno State with distribution of 2,000 bulls
before the end of 2020.
As of May 2019, FAO has already distributed a bull each to 450 youth in Jere,
Konduga, Mafa and Dikwa Local Government Areas (LGA) of Borno State.
In a statement on Friday, Suffyan Koroma, FAO Representative in Nigeria, said:
“Through these bulls and other livestock, the livestock value chain in the
state, which has been affected by the conflict, can be restored and youth will
be at the helm of this restoration.”
The statement revealed: “In Borno, conflict-affected youth are being supported
for employment and income generation through an agriculture support programme
funded by the European Union Trust Fund (EUTF). As part of the programme, the
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) recently launched
a massive livestock restocking campaign, chiefly targeting vulnerable youth and
women in the State. As of May 2019, FAO has distributed a bull each to 450
youth in Jere, Konduga, Mafa and Dikwa Local Government Areas (LGA). In all, 2
000 bulls will be distributed to Borno’s youth by 2020.
The statement read that: “FAO hopes that its livestock restocking programme in
Borno will revive pastoral livelihoods, boost employment and enhance income
generation.
“Under the EUTF project, 4 500 women-headed households are targeted for goats
(three females and a male) distribution and 2,000 youths are targeted for bull
distribution. 24 000 pullets will as well be distributed to 2,000 women in the
state, each woman will get 10 pullets and two cockerels. These inputs will
significantly contribute to restoration of agricultural livelihoods in the
state, boost household nutrition and income generation.”
It recalled that: “Before the crisis, livestock production was a significant
contributor to the agriculture sector in northeast Nigeria. However,
pastoralists in Borno have lost their productive assets to fire-sale, theft and
destruction by insurgents.”
It lamented that: “Women are some of the most vulnerable as a result of the
crisis in the northeast. Widows have been left to cater for their families
without any sources of income. Similarly, youths without source of living have
become cheap targets for recruitments by extremists, who entice them with
pecuniary gains.”
It said: “In the region, bulls are used for socio-economic activities like
farmland traction and transportation of goods or household needs. Youths can
earn between 2,000 to 2,500 naira (5-6 USD) daily from leasing their bulls for
farmland traction.
“Traditionally, women keep small ruminants and poultry, making milk and egg
easily accessible for household consumption. They also earn income from sales
of animals’ kids and eggs.”