Paul Biya offers 2.5 billion FCFA to the Far North

Two billion two hundred million makes up the third special funds allocated officially by the Head of State to the prefects of the six departments of the Far North region.

The delivery was done yesterday in Maroua during a well-attended ceremony chaired by the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development (MINADER), Henri Eyebe Ayissi, in the presence of the Minister Delegate in charge of Rural Development MINADER, Clémentine Ananga Messina and the governor of the Far North region Midjiyawa Bakari.

The special offer was made up of food staples, food for animals as well as seven pick-up all-terrain vehicles for the transport of products to the most remote corners of the region. For the Prefect of Logone-et-Chari, Albert Mekondané Obounou, this third phase distribution of the special offer of the head of state to affected populations is timely.

According to statistics obtained from the regional delegation of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development of the Far North, agricultural campaigns in the past two years show a food crisis that is gaining momentum in the region. In 2013, the food deficit was 132,000 tons.

In 2014, it recorded 150,000 tons. For the current year, given the multiple natural and human crises in the region, these figures are likely to worsen.

According to the administrative authorities, apart from the security situation that has negatively influenced the farming activities, there are other problems such as the destruction of plantations by elephants and migratory birds in some localities of the region.

Therefore, on the instructions of the Head of State, a food security emergency management commission was established on February 26, 2015. This was chaired by the MINADER at the national level and by the governor at the regional level.

After the formal launch of the third phase distribution of the special offer of the head of state under the coordination of Minister Henri Eyebe Ayissi, members of the commission assessed their activities.

They examined the difficulties encountered during the first two phases in order to provide appropriate solutions. It appears from the debates that apart from financial difficulties there is a real problem of inaccessibility of some locations and the availability of commodities.

In response to concerns, the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development says that all measures have been taken to ensure that the food crisis does not hit the Far North. Whether farming or agriculture, the hierarchy has taken the full measure of the situation and will make every effort to ensure that this salutary initiative of the head of state has a positive impact in the direction of development.