Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) has distributed a total of 10,300 fuel-efficient stoves to the less-privileged women in Yobe.
FAO’s Head of North-East Sub-Office, Mr Cisse Alhassan, stated this during the distribution of the items on Tuesday in Potiskum.
“FAO targets 49,700 households across three states. These include: 33,400 in Borno, 10,300 in Yobe and 6000 in Adamawa,” he said.
According to him, the gesture is aimed at protecting women, children and the environment in general.
“It is in order to enhance the protection of women and children and the environment that FAO, through its Safe Access to Fuel (SAFE) intervention, came up with this initiative.
“It is meant to support the production and distribution of fuel-efficient stoves (FES) and briquette kits to support the affected households and reduce the associated risks,” he said.
Alhassan noted that firewood had remained the primary source of cooking energy for households in most rural communities in the three states.
“Women and children are often tasked with collecting firewood in dangerous forests, thus exposing them to risk of being harassed, mistreated, abducted and even killed,” he said.
The FAO chief added that the practice had compounded the indiscriminate cutting down of trees, leading to deforestation, desertification and increased carbon emissions.
“It also causes high pollution of the air and exposes the user to other health risks from smoke inhalation, particularly respiratory illnesses,” he said.
Alhassan said that the programme was founded by European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (ECHO) and the Central Emergency Response Fund.
Speaking at the occasion, the state Commissioner for Environment, Alhaji Sidi Karasuwa, expressed gratitude of the state government.
“Yobe government appreciates the efforts of FAO in the area of partnership, in order to reduce the effect of climate change.
Karasuwa, represented by Director of Climate Change, Alhaji Ahmed Muhammad, said that the gesture was in line with the state government’s climate change action plan.
One of the beneficiaries, Adama Inusa, thanked the organisation for the support.
She said that the gesture would go a long way in reducing the cost of buying firewood and the hardship associated with scouting for it in the bush.
(NAN)
