Dikwa heaves a sigh of relief as Zulum distributes food support to 18,000 families

Dikwa heaves a sigh of relief as Zulum distributes food support to 18,000 families

By: Bodunrin Kayode

The rice community of Dikwa has heaved a sigh of relief as 18,000 heads of families have been supported with foodstuffs to assist them survive the massive loss of their farms to quelea birds.

The support was supervised personally by the Borno state Governor Prof Babagana Zulum who distributed food items to heads of families in front of the Palace of the Shehu of Dikwa

Dikwa town was affected by a raid by the ravenous quelea birds which inflicted their farms in conjunction with other pests that destroyed most of the farmlands on which over 90 percent of the community rely for their livelihoods.

Governor Zulum, who oversaw the distribution on Monday, expressed a deep concern for the affected families.

He explained that the intervention was necessary to avert a food crisis and provide immediate relief to those whose livelihoods were destroyed.

Zulum stressed that his administration implemented measures to strengthen agriculture, particularly mechanisms for pest control, mitigating cases of farmers losing their outputs.

“The last time we distributed food items in Dikwa was about 18 months ago. Because we believe there is an improved security situation in the state, and people have started cultivating their farmlands, we have reduced the distribution of humanitarian support by 90 per cent,” Zulum stated.

“But this morning, we came to Dikwa to support them because of the drought that affected them last year. The invasion of pests and quelea birds affected their farmlands, leading to the farmers losing a significant portion of their farm outputs.”

Addressing the beneficiaries, Governor Zulum expressed delight in the residents’ engagement in farming activities this season
.

The Governor also distributed over N350 million to 35,000 women in Dikwa town as part of his administration’s emergency relief to the vulnerable communities.

Each of the 35,000 women received N10,000 cash and a wrapper in addition to the two bags of rice and sorghum each received by the 18,000 male heads of households.

The Governor was accompanied to Dikwa by the chairman of the Borno State High-Powered Committee for the Distribution of Palliatives, Engr Bukar Talba; a member representing Dikwa at the State House of Assembly, Zakariya Mohammed and the Commissioner for Local Government and Emirates Affairs, Sugun Mai Mele, among other senior government officials.

The damage they cause is immense, estimated to cost the continent of Africa around $88.6 million annually.

Dikwa heaves a sigh of relief as Zulum distributes food support to 18,000 families