NEDC adopts measures to avert food crisis, malnutrition

The North East Development Commission (NEDC) has moved to avert food insecurity and malnutrition in the troubled North East, a geo-political zone that has been at the centre of Boko Haram insurgency.

The Managing Director of the commission, Senator Mohammed Alkali revealed this plan at a stakeholders meeting in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital yesterday.

At the meeting, Alkali said measures had been put in place to avert food insecurity and malnutrition in the Northeast, disclosing that the measures were adopted at a stakeholders’ roundtable meeting with humanitarian partners in the region.

Alkali said: “Over 2.6 million people risk facing food crises in Borno state alone. The commission has already taken action to respond to threats of food insecurity and malnutrition.”

The managing director revealed that the commission is mobilizing resources to stockpile food items and avert looming famine and malnutrition among children in the region.

He said: “With the Cadre Harmonize report and what is being discussed with stakeholders, we’ll identify where the gaps are. What kind of food to stockpile? We can do so, so that when the incident happens, we pray that it shouldn’t occur.”

He, however, said the commission would be able to respond promptly to save people’s lives.

He noted that there “is the need for a coordinated approach by all actors in the humanitarianism and development cycle in responding to the needs of Boko Haram victims.”

Henceforth, according to the managing director, a fortnight meeting of the stakeholders will be convened to identify gaps to avoid duplication of responses to IDPs’ needs.

Also speaking, NEDC Executive Director for Humanitarian Affairs, Musa Yashi said that the stakeholders and humanitarian partners’ meeting was to adopt and implement ways of streamlining the operations of all humanitarian activities.

In their contributions, representatives of State Emergency Management Agencies (SEMA) from Adamawa, Bauchi, Borno, Gombe, Taraba and Yobe states and other partners stressed the need for a coordinated meeting to avert food insecurity and malnutrition.

They also urged the commission to intervene and provide shelter, livelihood support, water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) and healthcare to IDP camps and host communities.

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