The Federal Government, in partnership with national and international partners, yesterday launched an appeal seeking $306 million to fast-track food assistance, nutrition supplies and services, clean water, healthcare, and protection support to people in severe need in the country.

This is coming on the heels of the deteriorating food security and nutrition crisis in the BAY states of Borno, Adamawa and Yobe in this lean season of May to September.

According to the government-led Cadre Harmonisé analysis released in March this year, in the BAY states, some 4.8 million people are estimated to be facing severe food insecurity, the highest level in seven years.

The report noted that children, pregnant and lactating women, older persons, and people living with disabilities were among those most vulnerable.

The appeal, the lean season food security and nutrition crisis multisector plan, is targeting 2.8 million of these people for urgent interventions.

Speaking at the launch of the plan, the Director General of the National Emergency Management Agency, Zubaida Umar, said the mobilisation of funding and resources to address the lean season food security and nutrition crisis envisaged in the north-eastern part of the country was a step in the right direction in complementing the federal government’s efforts to prevent the deaths of people as a result of malnutrition-related complications.

“This food and nutrition crisis, which has been compounded by soaring food prices, is primarily due to continued conflict and insecurity in the BAY states, alongside climate change impacts.”