The Federal Government at the weekend launched its Renewed Hope Agric Empowerment Project (REHAEP) for Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Plateau State as part of a durable solution for displaced Nigerians.
The project – a collaboration between the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons (NCFRMI) and the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security – is located in Kpwasho, Bassa LGA of the state.
The Federal Commissioner, National Commission for Refugees Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons (NCFRMI), Tijani Ahmed, said the mechanised farm covers 150 hectares of land.
“The project will support 300 IDPs in Plateau with inputs, cash grants and labour costs.
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“The private sector will also assist by providing market access for harvested grains, contributing to food security and economic empowerment.
“The pilot phase of REHAEPI is also being implemented in Nasarawa and Borno, with plans to expand to other states with significant IDP populations, for a period of five years.
“Seedlings like rice, maize, sorghum, wheat among others will be planted on the land.
“The Federal Ministry of Agriculture provided the inputs to cultivate the land, while the NCFRMI profiles the IDPs and provides them with a cash grant for labour costs.
“The private sector comes in and hopefully when they harvest, they provide off-takers who will now sell the grains and put money in the hands of IDPs and also contribute to food security,” Ahmed, who was represented at the occasion by Fatima Mamman Daura, NCFRMI’s Director of IDPs, said.
He said the commission was also partnering with the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps’ AgroRangers and the community to provide security for the farmers when necessary.
Plateau Governor Caleb Muftwang, represented by the Chairman of the Plateau State Emergency Agency (PLASSIMA), Mr Sunday Audu, emphasised the need for Plateau farmers to embrace large-scale agriculture while assuring that the state is committed to supporting IDPs.
“We will also ensure their return to their ancestral homes and address the educational and social challenges faced by displaced children,” he said.
The governor also said there was an ongoing collaboration with the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) to enhance security on farmlands, to enable farmers to work without fear.
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