The Victims Support Fund (VSF) on Tuesday began distribution of 1, 600 goats to 1, 000 families displaced by Boko Haram insurgency in the northeast.
Goats
VSF is a knowledge-driven and programme-based organisation, mobilisation sustainable funding and building partnerships for the support and transformation of victims of terrorism and insurgency in Nigeria among others mission.
The Director of the programme, Dr Sunday Ocheche, made the disclosure while inaugurating the exercise at Auno village in Konduga Local Government Area of Borno.
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Ochehe further disclosed that 400 households were selected to participate in the goat breeding programme while 300 households each would benefit from similar exercise in Adamawa and Yobe.
He explained that each of the benefiting households would receive four goats and N20, 000 from the fund for feeding the animals.
Ocheche noted that the gesture was to empower the displaced persons; build resilience, enhance food security and reduce dependence on humanitarian aid.
The director also said the fund was working in collaboration with the FADAMA programme; Borno Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Fishery and Animal Resources.
According to him the aim is to provide free veterinary services to the animal keepers for one year.
“To ensure maximum production, the goats were inoculated against animal diseases.
“It will enhance animal health and increase productivity.” he said,
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Ocheche said the selected goat breeds had a high reproductive tendency to multiply its number within short period.
According to him, the programmme is being implemented in partnership with an NGO, Inter-Community Social Development Organisation (ICDS).
Ocheche urged the beneficiaries to ensure effective utilisation of the goats and engage in productive activities.
Alhaji Tijjani Tumsa, the Vice-Chairman, Presidential Committee on North-east Initiative (PCNI), said the committee had initiated livelihood support programme to empower displaced persons for the improvement of their social and economic wellbeing.
Tumsa noted that apart from the livelihood scheme, the committee executed viable projects to accelerate reconstruction, resettlement and restoration of peace in the war ravaged region.
“The livelihood support programme is vital for the persons affected by the conflict, to enable them take care of their food needs and education of their children,” he said.
Earlier, Mr Shinama Akam, the IDS Project Director, said the organisation, in partnership with VSF, had also distributed farm inputs to 2, 000 resettled farmers this cropping season in Askira Uba Local Government Area of Borno.
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Akam added that the organisation would also distribute inputs to 1, 000 farmers for irrigation activities in Mobbar Local Government Area of the state.
One of the beneficiaries, Ms Yakolo Wakil, lauded the gesture saying it would go a long way to improve the social and economic wellbeing of the beneficiaries.
NAN