By Diana Omueza
Girls for Climate Action Initiative, an environmental Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), has trained women farmers in Gbessa community, Abuja, on smart agriculture and waste recycling to promote food security and sustainable farming.
Mrs Grace Eche-Okeke, the Executive Director of the organisation said this during the training on Wednesday in Abuja.
He noted that the initiative was aimed at empowering rural women farmers with knowledge and skills to improve their productivity and income.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the training centred on imparting practical knowledge of climate-smart agriculture, particularly the use of bags and recyclable cans to grow crops.
Eche-Okeke said that the practices would enhance soil health, boost yields, and promote sustainable waste management.
She said that the programme was necessary as most farmers globally are women, who have little or no access to the resources required to increase their yield or improve their livelihoods.
“The training is to empower them with knowledge on the use of recyclable cans for cultivation which requires little or no finance at all.
“We believe that these types of agricultural practices would help break the cycle of ignorance.
“It is also a practical solution to boosting food security without any cost implications.
“We are teaching them the basic ways to be smart in their agricultural practices and to contribute to food security.
“At the end we believe these women will be able to farm more, get higher yields, and support their households,” she said.
Eche-Okeke said that the second phase of the training programme was underway for local organic manure and fertilizer production to boost yields, eliminate pets and reduce the high cost of purchase of fertilizers.
The move, according to her, would improve soil fertility, save and improve savings and increase their harvest.
The executive director said that the organisation had also identified different challenges affecting farming activities in the community including herder clashes.
She said they are therefore working to engage stakeholders to restore peace for the benefit of the farmers.
“We have engaged with the community leaders, including the chiefs, who expressed readiness to convene a dialogue between farmers and herders to address the recurring conflicts.
“We believe that by fostering peace and collaboration within the community, these women can begin to enjoy more increase from their farming,” she said.
In his remarks, Mr Ifeoluwa Bello, Co-founder of Zero Shara Limited and partners of the training, said human empowerment can never be overemphasised, especially for women in the rural communities.
“At Zero Shara Limited, we empower communities through sustainable practices, especially around waste recycling.
“We are partnering with Girls for Climate Action Initiative to promote sustainable waste management and financial inclusion.
“In this partnership, we are not only helping women exchange waste for cash but also teaching them financial literacy.
“This will enable them to reinvest their earnings into productive ventures such as buying seedlings and producing organic inputs,” he said.
Bello added that the partnership also aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly zero hunger, no poverty, and quality education.
He said that the partnership would be scaled up to reach more women across other rural communities in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
Mrs Rabi Nuhu, one of the beneficiaries of the training, expressed appreciation to the organisers for their impactful initiative and the opportunity to acquire valuable skills.
She, however, lamented the clashes between farmers and herders in the community and the need for government and security interventions.
The Etsu Gbessa, Alhaji Musa Yeto, appreciated the organisation for identifying with women in the community for such empowerment programmes.
He, however, urged the organisation to help in bridging the communication and empowerment gap between grassroots women and the government through sustained advocacy and inclusive programmes.
Yeto also advocated a stakeholders town hall meeting aimed at fostering dialogue and resolving the alleged conflict between farmers and cattle herders in the community.(NAN)
Edited by Modupe Adeloye/Chidi Opara
