FAO tackles malnutrition in Borno, caters for 4,800 malnourished children

The United Nations Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO) has commenced distribution of nutritious food items to 4,800 malnourished children affected as a result of recent flood disaster in Jere Local Government Area of Borno State.

FAO also said it was providing energy-saving stoves to 1,000 households affected by the flood as the exercise was the first intervention of its kind, which the UN would be undertaken to aid victims of the recent flood disaster.

Daouda Doumbia, Officer in Charge of FAO, North-East Sub-Regional Office, said each child under the age of five would receive 12kg of supplementary food over a period of eight weeks to improve their nutritional status.

“The Tom Brown is a locally sourced and nutritious supplementary food (whose) distribution is aimed at supporting vulnerable populations affected by the natural disaster in addressing critical food security needs of flood-affected communities,” Doumbia stated.

Read also: UNICEF, Borno sign N150m pact to address child malnutrition

The FAO Head of Office said that in an effort to mitigate the effects of climate change in the wake of the recent flooding, FAO would distribute Safe Access to Fuel and Energy (SAFE) kits to 1,000 households in flood affected areas.

“As people have started returning to their communities, it is the time we (FAO) start to work with the community in order to build their resilience and improve nutrition in the affected areas” he said.

Professor Ibrahim Umara, Co-chairman, Borno State Flood Disaster Relief Distribution Committee, acknowledged the timely intervention of FAO.

He explained that the support would beef up the nutritional status of children in the aftermath of the flood disaster.

Professor Umara also commended the organisation for providing the fuel efficient stoves which would greatly reduce deforestation and other environmental challenges.

Two of the beneficiaries, Aisha Laminu and Hauwa Saleh, appreciated FAO for the support that would improve the health and nutritional status of their children.