Economic Empowerment
Source: The Vanguard
The Nigerian Federal Government, on Monday, flagged off training of over 150 women farmers in South East geopolitical zone on tackling climate change to mitigate impact on food production.
The flag-off was done by the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr Mohammad Abubakar, at the 4th edition of the activity taking place in the South-East regional workshop on 'Gender Mainstreaming, Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation Strategies for Women Farmers' in Owerri, Imo State.
Abubakar who was represented by the Imo State Director, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Chris Iwuchukwu, said essence of the training was on the heels of the policy thrust of the 2019 National Gender Policy "hinged on gender equity and equality for optimum productivity in the agricultural sector".
He also acknowledged the role of women farmers along various value chains disclosed that women constitute about 80 per cent of the labour force involved in agricultural production, grow up to 80 per cent of food in Nigeria.
The over 150 women farmers at the workshop are from Imo, Abia, Enugu, Ebonyi and Anambra States, received clean stoves and starter packs.
He said: "Nigeria's agriculture is most vulnerable and susceptible to the impacts of climate change. Indeed, it is rain-fed dependent.
"Any change in the weather pattern, in terms of the amount, intensity, duration, and the on-set, duration affect farmers' decisions on when, what and where of the crops and inputs as well as other cultural operations in the value chain.
"Climate change and variability affects particularly women who constitute the most vulnerable among the farming communities.
"Available statistics indicate that women constitute about 80 per cent of the labour force involved in agricultural production, grow up to 80 percent of the food in Nigeria.
"Overall, they constitute about 43 per cent of the agricultural labour force in developing countries. Yet, women farmers face various challenges and needs especially climate change and variability, access to information and technologies.
"This ultimately would ensure commitment to gender mainstreaming at all levels of the agricultural sector, which is seen as a tool for achieving gender-based reforms and increasing productivity by men and women along all the value chains in the sector.
"The workshop is targeted, innovative and timely when viewed from the outcomes of the recent 2021 COP 26 climate change conference held in Glasgow, United Kingdom."
Meanwhile, according to the Minister, the choice of Imo state as one of the pioneer states to kick-start the series of outlined workshops is borne to the fact that the State is one of the frontline states within the rainforest agro-ecological zones in Nigeria facing ecological challenges due to the impact of climate change.
However, he tasked participants to listen attentively and remain focused during the training workshop, and also expressed optimism that the workshop will expose them to climate change adaptation and mitigation strategies that would help to build and enhance their resilience to threats and impacts of climate in agricultural production.
Earlier, the Imo State Commissioner of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Dr Okorochukwu Barthy, said that the essence of the mitigation and adaptation strategies workshop for women farmers is to ensure increase in food sufficiency which will in turn translate to food security and economic growth in the country.
"We must get more women farmers that will produce more food. Climate change portends the need for mitigation and adaptation to ensure more farming seasons in a given year", Barthy said.
He also commended women for the crucial roles they play in food production, processing and marketing.
He therefore counseled them to embrace and practice what they are taught on new strategies that will help develop their resilience to mitigate the climate change impacts.
Meanwhile, Director, Special Duties in the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Faust Lawal, represented by the Head, Gender Unit in the Ministry, Ifeoma Anyanwu, recalled that the thrust of the National Gender Policy is to reduce the vulnerability of women in agriculture, especially in their access to farm inputs, feeds, finance and information so that they can contribute meaningfully to agriculture.
She also informed that the policy focus on addressing the disparity in the sector, build skills and competencies of the Nigerian women farmers in line with the SDG No. 13, which specifically addresses climate change and its impacts.