This action is part of a wider plan to support six countries in the region particularly affected by a food crisis.
In a press release sent to APA Tuesday, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) announced that on Saturday 27 July 2024, it had fulfilled its commitment to regional food security by handing over nearly 7,000 tonnes of cereals to the Federal Government of Nigeria.
The operation, carried out in Kano, comprises two separate components: a donation of 2,000 tonnes of cereals as part of regional solidarity, and a technical rotation of 4,976.75 tonnes of stocks from the Regional Food Security Reserve.
This initiative comes at an alarming time when, according to the March 2024 analysis, some 50 million people in the region, including 31.7 million in Nigeria alone, are food insecure. Nigeria, which accounts for 16% of the total population concerned, is particularly hard hit by this crisis.
“This expression of regional solidarity is a contribution by ECOWAS to support the various efforts already underway. This donation will help to strengthen the resilience of populations affected by the difficult food situation,” the note said quoting Professor Fatou Sow Sarr, ECOWAS Commissioner for Human Development and Social Affairs.
The Nigerian government representative, Dr. S.A. Haruna, expressed his gratitude to the community organisation and pledged to replenish the stocks mobilised during the next harvest, underlining the importance of the Regional Food Security Reserve.
This operation is part of a wider plan by ECOWAS to support five other countries (Burkina Faso, Ghana, Mali, Niger and Sierra Leone) severely affected by food and nutritional insecurity. Since 2017, the Regional
Reserve has intervened 19 times in six countries in the region, distributing more than 55,000 tonnes of cereals.
Nigeria has already benefited in the past from assistance from the Regional Reserve, receiving around 10,129 tonnes of cereals between 2017 and 2020.
In addition, the Economic Community of West African States plans to provide 230 tonnes of food supplements for pregnant and breastfeeding women and young children in Nigeria.
ARD/ac/fss/as/APA