It is projected that between June and August 2024, half of Bauchi State’s population will face a minimal phase of flood disaster if adequate humanitarian assistance does not reach them urgently and promptly.
This projection was revealed by Mahmood Umar Bala, Chief Agriculture and Nutrition Desk Officer at the Bauchi State Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, based on the current flood disaster situation in the state.
Mahmood Bala also noted that between March and May 2024, no local government area in Bauchi State was classified in phase 4, which indicates an emergency, or phase 5, which indicates famine.
According to him, over 700,000 people are currently in the crisis phase, while approximately 2 million are in the stress phase.
He emphasized the need for governments at all levels in the country to invest in climate-smart agriculture, agro ecological practices, and efficient irrigation systems to improve farmers’ resilience against environmental and climate shocks.
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This recommendation was included in his presentation titled “Cadre Harmonise Analysis and Identification of Areas at Risk and Populations Affected by Food and Nutrition Insecurity in 26 States of Nigeria and the FCT” at the State Committee on Food and Nutrition (SCFN) second quarter meeting held in Bauchi.
The report recommended that the government implement social protection laws using the social register to identify and support conflict-affected households and vulnerable individuals.
Additionally, he stressed the need to reposition the agricultural sector with a focus on mechanization in Bauchi, along with subsidized fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides, and other farming inputs.
The Cadre Harmonise is a unified, consensual, and rigorous tool that helps produce relevant and transparent analyses of food and nutrition security situations.
The meeting of the State Committee on Food and Nutrition aimed to strengthen the coordination mechanism of SCFN for delivering a multisectoral intervention approach to nutrition in the state.
It also sought to assess the performance of nutrition indicators for better tracking of efforts and informed decision-making to address identified gaps and challenges.
Jibrin Yusuf, Chairman of the Committee and Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Budget, Economic Planning, and Multilateral Coordination, stated that the state is deeply committed to improving the nutritional status of its citizens.
He added that all decisions from the meeting will be channeled to the State Council on Food and Nutrition, where policies are developed to address malnutrition.
