Agency Seeks Cross River Commitment To GEF-7 FOLUR-IP Project

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) has urged the Cross River State Government to support the Global Environment Facility – 7’s (GEF-7) Food Systems, Land Use Restoration (FOLUR) Impact Programme (-IP) project targeted at 5,000 beneficiaries.

The Climate Change Specialist at FAO Nigeria, Mrs. Nifesimi Ogunkua, who represented the country Director, Dominque Koffy Kouacou, made the call at the FAO GEF-7 FOLUR – IP inception workshop in Calabar, the capital of Cross River State, southern Nigeria.

Ogunkua explained that the project has been designed to empower small holder farmers in the oil palm and cocoa production sector with incentives to imbibe best agricultural practices and sustainable land management procedure.

Government buy-in

According to her, the GEF-7 Food Systems, Land Use Restoration Impact programme would also focus on alternative livelihood support for other people within forest communities in Cross River State, noting that the 5,000 identified beneficiaries included 50 percent women and youths.

The Climate Change Specialist averred that there was urgent need for the governments of Cross River and Ondo States in Nigeria’s Niger Delta region to key into the 345 Million US Dollars project since they were home to the largest rainforest reserves.

Ogunkua said, “FAO has the mandate to ensure food security, ensure sustainable natural resources management. We supply these same deliverable and support to our member countries such as Nigeria and by extension to the two States we are implementing the project.

“let me appreciate the Cross River government for taking a firm interest in this project and pledging commitment. We need their support to be successful and because the project is a counterpart funding driven,” the specialist hinted.   

Continuing she stated, “for us in FAO, what is important is to have an impactful and sustainable programme that would target the beneficiaries, who need such intervention. In this case, small holder farmers in cocoa and oil palm have been identified as beneficiaries of this project.

“Basically, we will be supporting them and incentivizing them to imbibe best agricultural practices as well as sustainable land management practices. For Cross River, the FAO has 5000 beneficiaries that would be trained and empowered to expand their farms through best agricultural practices and sustainable land management practices.”

Traditional leaders’ engagement

The FAO Climate Change Specialist further indicated that the support of the traditional leaders as the closest governance institution to the farmers and others in the communities was vital to the success of the project in Cross River State.

“Having the traditional rulers shows the importance of local stakeholders to the project implementation and bringing them on board is to sensitize them and advocate for their support by the time the project team proceed to the field for successful implementation.

“Overall beneficiaries for the project are 10 thousand small holder farmers in Cross River and Ondo States and we are looking at 50 percent women representatives as well as youths,” Ogunkua stated.

Ogunkua explained further, “Ondo and Cross River State were selected because they still have the highest forest cover in the rainforest landscape. This project aims to promote environmental benefits and eco-system management in this important landscape.”

The workshop featured goodwill messages by the Commissioners of the Ministries of Women Affairs, Agriculture, Local Government, Finance, Environment, Live stocks and the Cross River State Forestry Commission.

Oyenike Oyeniyi