The United Nations Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO) has started distributing nutritious food to some 4,680 malnourished children in flood-affected regions in Jere local government of Borno state.

The FAO is also supplying energy-saving stoves to around 1,000 households impacted by the flood disaster.

Officer overseeing the FAO’s North-East sub-regional office, Daouda Doumbia, said the exercise was the first intervention of its kind the organisation was undertaking to aid victims of the recent flood disaster.

According to him, each child under the age of five will receive 12kg of supplementary food over a period of eight weeks to improve their nutritional status.

“The Tom Brown is a locally sourced and nutritious supplementary food (whose) distribution is aimed at supporting vulnerable populations affected by the natural disaster in addressing critical food security needs of flood-affected communities,” Mr Doumbia stated.

He said in an effort to mitigate the effects of climate change in the wake of the recent flooding, the FAO will distribute Safe Access to Fuel and Energy (SAFE) kits to 1,000 households in flood-affected areas.

“As people have started returning to their communities, it is the time we (FAO) start to work with the community in order to build their resilience and improve nutrition in the affected areas,” he said.

Professor Ibrahim Umara, Co-chairman, Borno State Flood Disaster Relief Distribution Committee, acknowledged the timely intervention of FAO.

He explained that the Organisation’s support would beef up the nutritional status of children in the aftermath of the flood disaster.

Professor Umara also commended the FAO for providing the fuel efficient stoves, which, he said, would “greatly reduce deforestation and other environmental challenges”.

Two of the beneficiaries, Aisha Laminu and Hauwa Saleh, thanked FAO for its support, saying it would improve the health and nutritional status of their children.