Boost For Refugee Families In Foni

Wednesday, July 15, 2009
St. Joseph Family Farm Centre recently distributed four tonnes of groundnuts, rice seeds and two tonnes of fertilisers to thirty refugee host families in Foni Kansala and Bintang districts in the Western Region.
The support, which is funded by Oxfam America through Concern Universal, is being implemented by St. Joseph Disaster Risk Reduction component in Bwiam.
Speaking at the handing over ceremony, Mr. Manfred Bojang, St. Joseph Disaster Risk Reduction Office, said that due to the influx of refugees, the resource base of communities has been stretched resulting in food insufficiency.
He added that this project seeks to address these problems by improving and expanding the availability of seeds, which he said, will eventually increase food availability in selected communities.
Noting that seeds especially groundnut are very scarce in refugee host communities, Mr. Bojang said most of them have consumed their seeds for food.
According to him, with the Disaster Risk Reduction project, a better food production basis would be established, as well as supplementing perennial seed storage in host farming communities.
Mr. Modou Jarju of Kasumai Village, on behalf of the beneficiaries commended St. Joseph Family Farm, Concern Universal, as well as Oxfam America. He expressed delight for the support rendered to them. He promised that the seeds would be paid back in order to help other farmers benefit from the scheme.

Author: Yai Dibba