FAO, ECOWAS sign US $558,000 assistance

The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) on Tuesday signed a technical assistance agreement of US $558,000 with the Economic Community for West African States (ECOWAS). A statement from ECOWAS said the amount would be used to execute a two-year project called 'Strengthening and Coordination of Information Systems on Food Security, Vulnerability and Food Trade in West African Member States'. The project aims to improve trade in the sub-region and reduce the risks of food insecurity by collecting, processing, analysing, managing, disseminating and using information to promote food security, according to the statement. FAO will provide US $395,000 while the balance of US $163,000 will be contributed by ECOWAS. The money will contribute to the creation of a regional food security information system, which would among other things, help monitor trade in agricultural products. It will also help the ECOWAS secretariat's in analysing information, formulate a consolidated project document, and assist in strengthening the capacity of members states through providing training at the national level. The ECOWAS sub-region's Executive Secretary, Lansana Kouyate signed on behalf of his organisation while FAO's Representative in Nigeria, Hashim Ashami signed for FAO. Kouyate said FAO's support was important because "there can be no development where there is no availability of food, considering that over 70 percent of the sub-region's population live below poverty line", the statement said. Ashami, for his part, reiterated FAO's assistance to ensure food security in all "its ramifications, including production, trade and marketing, in West Africa". He said that by strengthening the information system, the project will also help policy makers to make the right decisions.