Following the success of the of its humanitarian and development programmes in North-East Nigeria, the World Food Programme (WFP), an agency of the United Nations said plans are in place to extend its programmes to other parts of the country.
This development according to the agency is based on a new Country Strategic Plan (CSP), a four-year plan that kicks off 2019. The WFP Executive Board approved the CSP during its meeting in February in Rome.
According to a press statement made available to IMPACT NEWS on Thursday in Abuja, WFP said it would maintain its vital lifesaving assistance in Nigeria under the new strategic blueprint, while also focusing on self-reliance, resilience and peace building initiatives to enable access to food by all that would help achieve zero hunger.
In 2018, WFP in the North- East addressed the immediate food needs of an average of 1.2 million vulnerable people through the lean season.
The statement quoting the Representative and Country Director of WFP in Nigeria, Myrta Kaulard said the plan provides new and wider entry points for assistance in Nigeria.
“While we remain committed to the crisis response in the north east, this plan provides new and wider entry points for our assistance in Nigeria in the future.”
Kaulard said the UN agency would broaden engagement with the government, donours and partners in order to restore livelihoods and boost resilience “and together reduce the number of people depending on food assistance.”
According to the statement, “The plan also provides an opportunity for WFP to strengthen gender-transformative programming in Nigeria by empowering women and girls to face some of the challenges which affect their food security and hinder their participation in decision-making.
“WFP worked closely with the Government of Nigeria, donor governments, civil society, private sector and other humanitarian agencies and development partners working in the country to develop the new framework. It is in line with Nigeria’s National Economic Recovery and Growth Plan and is also aligned with two of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals: SDG2 – Zero Hunger, which aims to eradicate hunger by 2030; and SDG17, which promotes both public and private partnerships.”
