Minutes of the Food Security Sector Working Group (FSSWG) Meeting

Held @ Old CBN Building, Garki II, Abuja

Wednesday 12th October 2016 at 11 AM

1.0 Introduction

The Food Security Sector Working Group (FSWG) meeting, chaired for the first time by Mr. Kevin Tekpat representative of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture & Rural Development (Fmard) was held on Wednesday 12th October 2016.

The meeting conveyed collected national and international organizations including UN-agencies, Government, national and international NGOs for the purpose of developing relevance and control of appropriate humanitarian food security assistance in North-Eastern Nigeria.It supportssafeguarding,articulating coordinating and integrating humanitarian responses, in order to reach the assessed food security needs of the distressed population.

In attendance were 25 representatives from the Government, UN-agencies, international and national NGOs. The list of participants is attached for your information and ease of reference.

The following issues formed the agenda of the meeting, as detailed below:

  1. Welcome/Opening Remarks
  2. Review of the Minutes of the Previous Meeting, Action Points and Adoption
  3. Update from Partners on Key Activities, Results Achieved and Implementation Challenges.
  4. HNO/HRP Processes and Timelines
  5. A.O.B

Consolidated 4W Matrix for the Month of September, 2016

Summary of the Discussions and Key Actions Reached

The Table below reflects summation of discussions, issues and action points reached during the meeting.

S/N / PROCEEDINGS / ACTIONS/TIME FRAME
2.0 / Welcome/Opening Remarks:
The meeting commenced with the chairman Mr. Kevin Tekpatcalling for individual prayers and self-introduction by partners.
On behalf of the Ministry, he expressed his appreciation and commendation for the work done by FAO, WFP and the entire agencies providing food assistance and livelihood support in the north-east. He informed partners that the ministry is working on getting a focal person who will always represent the government at the meeting.
3.0 / Review of the Minutes of the Last Meeting, Action Points and Adoption.
The chair gave 5minutes for partners to go through the Minutes.
Correction: WFP Nina pointed out that on page 7 that they are doing in kind food assistance NOT cash transfer.
The chairperson applauded the effort of the secretariat in preparing the minutes.
Matter Arising:
The FS Coordinator seek the permission of the chairman to take the house through the matter arising.
  1. On page 3: the feedback on the flood preparedness response plan. There was no follow-up meeting and no update.
  1. On page 5 NEMA, suggested the need for a Food Security and Nutrition Policy.
The chairman in response stated that he had searched through Ministry’s archives for any existingFood SecurityPolicy but there were none. He informed partners that he will liaise with the Permanent Secretary to see if they can kick start the process of coming up with a comprehensive draft Food Security and Nutrition Policy.
  1. On page 8: strengthening coordination of FSS in other states. (Southern Borno)
Mercy Corp reported that they made efforts with the FSS coordinatorto meet with the agencies in south Borno in Maiduguri but due to different scheduled activities they could not meet, but then decided to schedule the meeting in Abuja.
The FSS Coordinator further explained that they had a discussion with agencies working in South Borno which includes Mercy corps, ICRC, OXFAM and MSF with the aim to explore the possibility of putting –in-placeregular co-ordination mechanisms–meetings to ease logistics challenges of partners traveling from south Borno to Maiduguri to attend the bi-weekly meeting is a major challenge.
He informed partners that FAO and WFP were in the processes of recruiting additional IMO staff that will be based in Abuja, to support sector activities.
  1. On page 9: the IMO was not present in the meeting to give update on the issues raised by ECHO of not factoring in the when in the 4W maps.
Comments:
Mercy Corps reps express concerns that since the rain has come and gone and the Response Plan is for this year, he is suggesting that they project the plan for next year 2017.
Nina from WFP concurred that the response plan can be projected to 2017 saying that it is an ongoing effort and that it is not an immediate occurrence.
FSS Coordinator added that the responsibility of formulating plan or strategies rest with the government (NEMA).
The meeting was interrupted briefly with the entrance of the FAOR a.i NourouMacki Tall who was pleased to introduce the new Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator Mr. Edward Kallon.
Mr. Kallon expressed his happiness to meet the FSSWG and that hewas going to Maiduguri to see firsthand activities of the various sectors and actual situation on the ground. Furthermore, he informed the house on his visionon the overall coordination platform to deliver humanitarian development assistance in Nigeria and highlighted the critical issue in the following forms:
  1. Agenda 2030- the implementation ofsustainable developmental goals
  1. Delivery as One (DaO) agenda
  1. Promote and strengthen vertical and horizontal linkages to promote national leadership and ownership to bridge humanitarian developmental approach through a resilient approach.
  1. Durable solutions building the capacity of especially the national stakeholder to support and sustain ongoing humanitarian efforts.
The Chairman on behalf of the government welcomed him and commended the efforts of FAO and the partners. He thereafter called for adoption of the minutes which was by Mr. Abibu Tamu the FSS Coordinator and seconded by a rep of Caritas Nigeria. / Nina from WFP to follow-up
Fmard rep to liaise with Permanent Secretary to kick start a draft Food Security and Nutrition Policy.
Updates to be presented at the next meeting.
4.0
5.0 / UPDATES FROM PARTNERS ON KEY ACTIVITIES, RESULTS ACHIEVED AND IMPLEMENTATION CHALLENGES.
  1. MERCY CORPS: reported that they are providing e-vouchers in Biu for 5453 beneficiary which will conclude the following week. They are also conducting registration for food assistance in Damboa for 10,500 individuals.
They are projecting that in January 2017 they will register 45,000 individual for assistance in Damboa for 8 months valued at 17,000
  1. IRC:reported that they are currently working in 2 statesBorno and Adamawa. In Adamawa they are working in 5 LGAs Mubi North & South, Michika, Hong and Maiha. They are funded by ECHO and are reaching 6,049 HH with cash vouchers for 3months (October – December 2016) with cash value of N17, 000.
In Borno they have two programmes funded by ECHO and are in 2LGAs MMC and Jere. They are targeting 2,400 HH with cash vouchers with a value of 17,000 from ECHO funding
In Konduga they are targeting 4,800 HH for 8months and are targeting 60% of the population in of assistance using the harmonized food basket.
  1. Christian Aid reported that they are providing intervention in Kaga and Mongonu but that due to security risk they could not assess mongonu but located camps where IDPs from Mongonu are in Maiduguri and provided food assistance.The figure of how many IDPs reached was not available as the time of the report. They also targeted camps where malnourished children were identified as well as pregnant women.
  1. ICRC reported on their ongoing activities, they have reached the followings with food assistance in kind: in Dikwa they reached 2,500 HH IDPs in camps, in Mongonu they finished 70,500 HH, in Ngala 5,000 IDPs in camps. In Ngala and Gamboru planning to reach 10,000 HH, Kukawa they have reached 3,000 IDPs HH in host community, in Kalamaji they want to go thru their office in Cameroon to provide assistance to 3,000 HH. In Damboa they have ongoing food assistance for 5,000 HH in camps and in Biu they are providing for 10,000 IDPs in host community also 5,000 hh in Sabon-gari.
For cash programme: in Maiduguri have concluded cash for food for 12,000 IDPs and planning another intervention for female headed households for 4,000 hh in addition 800 hh will receive cash for micro economy initiative (MEI).
In Adamawa they are in Yola, Mubi, Michika and Madagali, they are providing cash for food for 12,000 HH.
In Yobe state: they will be providing cash for food for 12,000 female headed HH and 800 of them will receive cash for MEI.
In plateau state they are planning to provide cash for food and livelihood for 205 people.
  1. WFP are continuing food assistance in some of the newly liberated area in Borno and food assistance in form of cash based transfer in some LGAs in Yobe.
  2. SCI: are carrying out food distribution intervention in southern Borno. They are been funded by FFP, ECHO and DRI for FFP they are targeting 5,000 HH, ECHO-1000 HH and for DRI -1500 HH with cash transfer value of 17,000
  1. Caritas Nigeria reported that they have launched an emergency appeal to address the food need of 5,000HH through cash transfer and they are working in four LGAs- Askira Uba, Howul, Gujiba and Gulani for 6months with cash transfer value of 22,500 (17,000for food and 5,500 for NFIs)
seed assessment:
Mr. Omondi from FAO gave a summary of the seed assessment been conducted stating that enumerators were sent to Adamawa, Borno and Yobe to collect data and that NBS is collecting separate data across 16 states as well. He will make a presentation later on the key findings.
The objective: the seed assessment initiative will help to know the type of seed the farmer needs to improve production.
COMMENTS:
The Chairman agreed to the objective and suggested sustainable livelihood for the IDPs and that seed should be integrated with cash based interventions to improve the livelihood of the IDPs.
Ms. Opara from Caritas Nigeria expressed her concern on the importation of groundnut for the IDPs since the locally produced one contains Aflatoxin as reported in the Nutrition working group. She suggested that the IDPs maybe sensitized on how to store their produce to eliminate aflatoxin.
The FSS Coordinator added that there was need to strengthen the local economy instead of importation of materials. Suggested the Ministry should flag it.
The chairman responded that in the new agricultural policy, emphasis are made on production, processing and other value addition methods in order for farmers to earn money and improve their livelihood. He mentioned that importation is outside the jurisdiction of the FMARD and that they are sensitizing farmers on how to eradicate Aflatoxin by way of getting good seeds.
HNO Processes and Timeline
Chukwudi from OCHA took the house through the HNO processes stating that due to government restructuring, the HNO analysis fixed for 5th October was rescheduled tentatively for 19 and 20 October, 2016.
That OCHA will confirm the dates after consultations and meeting with the government.
6.0 / AOB:
Mr. Omondi from FAO requested bi-lateral meeting with agencies who have done seedinterventions.
Emma from NCR suggested other partners in the field be informed of Omondi ‘s request.
In the absence of any other business, the chairman thanked partners for attending and providing valuable inputs and contributions in making the meeting a success. The meeting was adjourned.