Kebbi, EU, Others Hold State-Level Inception Meeting

By Kabir Dan-Katsina, Birnin Kebbi

The European Union (EU) funded Support to Social Safety Net (SOSAN) and other development partners in collaboration with Kebbi State Government held a crucial State Level Inception Meeting where vital issues were discussed to strengthen how Kebbi State will benefit from rapid and measurable drop in extreme poverty.

Other development partners in the Meeting include OXFAM, SOLIDARITEs ASHWHAN and JIRODOO.

Speaking during the opening of the meeting held at the Events Centre, Gwadangaji in Birnin Kebbi, Oxfam Country Director, Tijani Hamzat said EU SOSAN intends to inject capital directly into the hands of the most vulnerable through secure cash transfer, building of localised food infrastructure economic food banks to protect against season starvation and climate- induced crop failures and equip farmers, and youths with climate-smart agricultural training and solar technologies.

According to Hamzat, the meeting is also strategies on how EU SOSAN and Oxfam and other development partners will implement £10 million project where over 328,838 individuals will benefit directly from the support and another 485,000 people across the six local government areas of Kebbi State will be involved.

The Country Director further disclosed that 315 community food banks will be constructed and stocked to strengthen local food system to mitigate climate-related shocks.

Kebbi State First Lady, Hajiya Nasare Nasir Idris, while speaking, commended the EU SOSAN and other development partners for initiating the meeting and expressed her total support for the intended projects.