The Federal Government has announced plans to cultivate a 500-hectare farm for Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Benue.
Prof. Nentawe Yilwata, Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Poverty Reduction, and Disaster Management, made the disclosure on Friday in Makurdi during the launching of the State Durable Solutions Action Plan for IDPs.
The minister said that the Federal Government, through the National Aggression Land Development Agency (NALDA), would cultivate 10,000 hectares of land for IDPs across the country.
He said out of the total number of hectares, 500 would be cultivated for Benue IDPs.
Yilwatda further said that the Federal Commissioner, National Commission for Refugees, Migrants, and IDPs would provide seeds and farm inputs to the IDPs for the 500 hectares that would be done.
He explained that a total of 1,000 IDP households would benefit from the scheme with two households per hectare.
“They will be given seeds. They will be given farm inputs. 30 per cent of the farm will be given to the locals, that is, the host community.
“70 per cent will be given to the IDPs to promote social cohesion between the host community and the IDPs,” he said.
On the durable solutions, the minister commended the Benue Government for its resilience, focus, and commitment to the well-being of her displaced population.
Yilwata said that the launching of durable solutions for Benue IDPs was to celebrate progress of a united front, driven by compassion and guided by purpose.
He said that Benue was the first state to launch durable solutions that were majorly agricultural-driven for the displaced persons.
“When I was appointed in November, we launched this durable solution, visited states, and five state governors committed themselves to give us lands, and among them is Benue
“Between November, when I was appointed, and now, Benue is the only state that has not just fulfilled and matched programmewords with action but has demonstrated by even creating the cooperatives of over 200, the highest in any of the IDPs in Nigeria.
“Not just that, they donated land and cleared about 1,000 hectares in six different locations as part of the efforts. That is remarkable for building hope for our people
“It is not just a programme; it is a lifeline, a foundation upon which vulnerable individuals, particularly widows, pregnant women, breastfeeding mothers, and persons with disabilities, can rebuild their lives.
“Thank you, Gov. Hyacinth Alia, for what you are doing for our people. The IDPs will not only be given farm inputs but also skills and resources to create sustainable livelihoods,” he said.
