Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) of the United Nations in collaboration with Nigeria Agip Oil Company Ltd, has donated water projects to four FCT rural communities to improve food security.
The benefiting communities are Wassa 2, Sherreti, Karimajiji and Malaysia Garden all located in the Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC).
Speaking at the commissioning and handing-over ceremony at Sherreti community, on Thursday in Abuja, the FCT Minister of State, Dr Ramatu Aliyu, applauded FAO for its contribution in eradication of hunger.
She said that FAO contributed to the international efforts to defeat hunger and improve local economies by helping its member countries to improve agriculture, forestry, and fisheries practices.
Aliyu, represented by her Senior Special Assistant in charge of Administration, Prof. Muhammad Usman, noted that the completion of the water projects in the communities would no doubt help to improve food security, hygiene and sanitation, for an estimated 4,000 persons.
According to her, beneficiaries are expected to use the water to irrigate small vegetable gardens to enhance their nutrition, their incomes, and their livelihoods generally.
“The boreholes are also solar-powered and equipped with plugs that residents can use to charge their cell phones.
“More importantly, they are well lit at night and therefore safe to access at all times while also being aggregation points within the communities,” she noted.
The minister, therefore, appealed to members of the benefiting communities to guard the facilities against vandals and ensure that they own the projects
Aliyu used the occasion to express the FCT administration’s appreciation to development partners for contributing to the improvement and development of water schemes in the territory.
” These are no small contributions to government’s efforts at addressing developmental challenges, especially Mr President’s focused push to lift 100 million Nigerians out of poverty in a decade.
“We are on the verge of finalising a Strategic Implementation Plan for achieving the Federal Government of Nigeria’s 2019 to 2023 Deliverables for the FCT.
“We shall also be calling on you soon to join hands with us to raise the tempo of development, especially in the social services sector, as we commence plan implementation.”
The representative of Nigeria at Food and Agriculture Organisation, Mr Suffyan Koroma, noted that the use of water for domestic and agriculture needs of households was one sure way to reach the zero hunger goal.
Koroma expressed hope that the project would mitigate the water challenges of the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), and the host communities.
He said that the organisation would continue to provide support to development initiatives and strategies aimed at reducing poverty, improving food and nutrition as well as the efficient management of the country’s natural resources.
On his part, the Managing Director of Nigerian Agip Exploration Ltd, Mr Lorenzo Fiorillo, said that the company had a long history of cooperation and friendship with the Nigerian people.
He added that the initiatives are in agreement with the company’s social investment and corporate social responsibility agenda targeted at providing support for Nigeria and her citizens.
