Katsina State Governor, Dikko Umar Radda, yesterday, allocated 600 hectares of land to relocate displaced communities and offer the 250,000 Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in the state, the opportunity to live in dignity and earn a livelihood once again.
Radda announced this while playing host to the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Dr. Nentawe Goshwe Yilwatda; Vice Chairman of the multinational conglomerate, Tropical General Investments (TGI), Mr. Farouk Gumel, and Representative of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in Nigeria, Mr. Arjun Jain, for the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the four parties, at the Katsina State House.
The configuration of the federal and state governments, private sector and the United Nations to find solutions for internally displaced communities, the first of its kind in Nigeria, would operationalise the project, Livelihoods for Improved Futures for Everyone (LIFE) in Katsina, aimed at providing livelihood opportunities for 600 forcibly displaced and host community families.
Radda restated the state’s commitment to ensuring that all displaced communities return home safely, or find a suitable alternative in the meantime, where they live in safety, adding that the initiative underscores Katsina’s obligation to its people.
While stating that the minister would support social inclusion and assistance to the communities, the governor explained: “This project will stabilise 600 families and allow for dry season irrigation. It will ensure that more families are employed and that we are one step closer to tackling food security and ensuring economic independence to some of the most vulnerable families, especially during the lean season.”
On its part, the TGI will be offering technical support to the farmers, along with agricultural inputs and zero-interest loans, while committing to off-take their produce.
“For TGI, our belief is that rural inclusion is core to the overall economic development of our nation. We have a long history of working with small-holder farmers across the nation, ensuring they have the resources and support needed to thrive.”
“This initiative is important because it will not only strengthen food security but also promote a dignified approach to re-integrating displaced members of society while expanding the capacity of the agricultural value chain,” Gumel said.
UNHCR will be supporting the communities and installing a solar-powered irrigation system that would allow for dry-season irrigation that will eventually be run by the communities themselves.
“The numbers of internally displaced persons across Nigeria are increasing every year. We need to urgently find solutions for them, and towards that, we are delighted that the governments of Nigeria and Katsina are taking the lead on this, and that the private sector is engaging more actively,” the body noted.
