FADAMA III Project distributes 2,609 ruminants to IDPs in Bauchi to eradicate poverty

The World Bank Assisted FADAMA III Additional Financing Project has distributed 2609 ruminants to Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) taking refuge in Bauchi State for rearing as part of its efforts aimed at rehabilitating and cushioning the effects of poverty amongst IDPs as well as to enhance their economic status.

The initiative tagged ‘North-East Food Security and Livelihood Emergency Support Project’, is being implemented as a result of insurgency that has ravaged the particular region over the years thereby crippling economic activities.

While speaking to newsmen at the ongoing distribution exercise to the beneficiaries in Bauchi State, an official of the FADAMA III Project in the State, Mohammed Danladi Abdul, said that the intervention cut across the entire 20 Local Government Areas of Bauchi State where the IDPs are.

He explained that “Under the Small Ruminants intervention, each head of Forty (40) households are given four female sheep and one male sheep or four she-goats and one he-goat, inline with beneficiaries interests of breeding.”

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Danladi Abdullahi further disclosed that the project is not restricted to distribution of small ruminants alone, but also other empowerment tools.

He said: “based on the needs of the IDPs beneficiaries, the project also assist them through food assistance, poultry/fishing with feeds, provision of seedlings of maize, rice, insecticides, fertilizer and other empowerment vocations tools likes fridges, knitting and sewing machines. The project also engages some beneficiaries in the construction of community culverts, boreholes and drainages”.

The Project official also said that the intervention is all-encompassing targeting every registered IDP in Bauchi State.

Also speaking during the distribution exercise, Chairman of the IDPs in Warji LGA, Mallam Mohammadu Ahmadu expressed their gratitude to FADAMA III Project Bauchi for coming to their aide with the small ruminants assistance, describing the gesture as humanitarian.

In an emotional tone, Mohammadu Ahmadu said that “not only does FADAMA III Project assisted us with animals for economic activity, they also gave us food, condiments, seedlings, fertilizer and other empowerment tools like fridges, sewing and knitting machines too. For us, IDPs in Bauchi State, there is not enough words to express our gratitude to FADAMA Project III Bauchi. What more can we ask for”.

The distribution exercise was conducted with close supervision of FADAMA III Project State/ LG officials, representatives of the IDPs and the civil society organisations based in the state.