The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) is said to have provided clean drinking water to approximately 60 million people worldwide.
Ms. Michelle Corzine, Director of the Office of Economic Growth and Environment, made the announcement on Thursday during a USAID-funded Water for Agriculture (WFA) Activity Closeout and Dissemination event in Abuja.
Catholic Relief Services (CRS) and its various partners, including the Diamond Development Initiative (DDI) and Pastoral Resolve, carried out the activities.
According to her, the United States government’s top concerns are access to clean aqua and food security.
“Through USAID’s global hunger and food security initiative, Feed the Future, we have collaborated with governments, non-governmental organisations, and research institutions to transform global food systems and lift an estimated 23.4 million people out of poverty.”
“In Nigeria, USAID recognized the importance of access to aqua for consumption and agricultural use, leading to the development of our water for agriculture activity, which is being carried out in collaboration with our partner CRS.”
“We also participate in addressing some challenges by increasing access to water for smallholder farmers and livestock herders, as well as strengthening aqua governance and management,” she added.
Earlier, Mr. Paul Townsend, CRS’s Country Representative, stated that CRS has operated in Nigeria for more than 25 years, executing health, emergency response, agriculture, and livelihood initiatives in 35 states of the federation.
“CRS collaborates with the Catholic Church, other faith-based and community-based organisations, the private sector, local and international NGOs, and government institutions.”
