Over 6,000 rural women farmers have received training from the federal government of Nigeria on how to mitigate and adapt to climate change.
The training which is part of ongoing diversification efforts to improve food security in Nigeria had women who partook in the training also benefitting from free gas cylinders intended to support them in the fight against climate change.
Supported by the Partnership for Advancing Women in Economic Development (PAWED), anchored by the development Research and Projects Centre, and other partners, the workshop is the last phase of zonal workshops organised at the six geopolitical zones for women farmers to train them on modalities and strategies to mitigate the impact of climate change in Nigeria.
In his address, the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Ernest Umanike, noted that the workshop is part of the implementation of the national gender policy on agriculture.
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In her opening remarks, the Assistant Director, Gender of the Ministry, Ifeoma Anyanwu, disclosed that the workshop is a climax for the implementation of the National Gender Policy.
According to her, the policy is an assertive document that recognizes the limitation of growth and development of the agricultural sector because of the exclusion of smallholder women farmers in strategic participation and in making of key decisions and access to agricultural assets.
She noted that the document provides a clear direction for the implementation of guidelines and actions that will ensure fair and equal participation of smallholder women farmers in the entire agricultural process and food systems.
Anyanwu urged participants at the training to use the skills they will learn from the training to increase food production and support the economic development of their families.
Earlier in her speech, Minister of Women Affairs, Pauline Tallen, commended the federal government for the various interventions aimed at securing food production and reducing overreliance on foreign food imports.
Paulin who was represented by the director of economic development in the ministry, IdrisMuhammed, said that the present administration’s efforts at diversifying the economy is yielding the desired results as Nigeria is now self-sufficient in rice and other produce and will soon begin exportation.
Story was adapted from Premium Times.
