By Abimbola Joseph
CITIZENS COMPASS – A Non Governmental Organisation (NGO) International Centre for Environmental Health and Development (ICEHD), has trained 100 women farmers on climate-smart agriculture capacity building training workshop in Ikorodu, Lagos.
The training took place on Friday, June 2, 2023, at Odogunyan Lasunwon palace
The Programme Manager, Miss Mercy Joshua, said the training was with provision of farming
tools to strengthen their capacity to access skills, resources and opportunities to address climate challenges.
According to her, the training will assist in boosting their farm production and enhance food security.
Joshua said the theme of the training was entitled: “Climate Justice And Economic
Resilience Project For Rural Women Farmers In Nigeria”.
She said that many women in Nigeria are economically excluded due to varied socio-economic factors and cultural barriers.
“This situation is worsened by the adverse impact of climate change.
” Nigeria’s climate is increasingly changing, evidenced in upsurges in temperature, variable rainfall, flooding and land degradation, with these changes bringing a gendered impact, as it disproportionately affects women and widens gender inequalities.
“The small scale women farmers’ loose opportunities, markets, and profits as climate change hits Nigeria.
“With series of engagements with community leaders, women’s groups and local women farmers in 2022 and this year across the six geo-political zones, ICEHD with support from African Development Fund (AWDF) had embarked upon the two-year project.
“It is focused on empowering rural women farmers in Nigeria with knowledge, skills, resources and tools to enable them access economic opportunities, and be equipped with sustainable solutions to address climate challenges.
“This will enable them achieve economic justice and the capacity to project their voices towards reforms in agricultural policy, gender mainstreaming in agricultural budgeting and financial inclusion, to promote the rights women farmers in Nigeria,” she said.
Joshua stated that working with the Lagos state ministry of
Agriculture, women affair and poverty alleviation, ministry of environment and water resources in this second year of the project, over 100 women farmers have been trained in Lagos.
She said that this is with aim of achieving change where women can participate equally with men in accessing resources and opportunities for economic advancement.
She stated further that the trained women farmers were empowered with farming tools such as garden tools, portable watering can, organic fertilizer, super-grow booster, soil amendment.
Mrs Temitope Okunnu, head Foundation Fora Better Environment (FABE) urged farmers to start practicing usage of natural composite and pesticide as a better alternative to preserve the soil and human health.
“We believe with a circular economy and climate action from every individuals, we will be able to combat climate change and live towards environmental sustainability.
Earlier, Mrs Oluyemi Kalesanwo, Perm Sec. Lagos State ministry of Women affairs and poverty alleviation represented by Mrs Omogoriola Beckley, said the training would go a long way in enriching them on their farming process.
Mrs Justina Balogun, Director, Lagos Ministry of Agric advised women farmers to arranged themselves into clusters and join cooperative to benefit from lots of programmes organises by Lagos State to support women farmers.
Mrs Aminat Shabi, a beneficiary said the capacity building has taught most women guidelines on farming process to manage challenges of climate change and advice appealed to make the training quarterly or three times a year.
Mrs Adedoyin another beneficiary also urged the group to always strive to know their challenges at every project and advise participants to make use of techniques learnt at the capacity building.
“Also, a copy of ICEHD book publication titled, “Power of Resilience: “Nigerian Women Farmers Share Their Challenges and Experiences” was given to them to further their knowledge base.
“The book is a policy advocacy tool to project the voices of rural women farmers in Nigeria,
towards reforms in agricultural policy, gender mainstreaming in agricultural budgeting and financial inclusion, to promote the rights women farmers in Nigeria,” she said.
Citizens Compass reports that ICEHD is a non-governmental, non-profit organisation established in 2004 to promote the rights to health and right to development.
The organisation also work to empower women and girls by improving access to socioeconomic opportunities, reproductive health services and viable livelihoods.
