By Isah Hussein
The Federal Government, on Thursday, sensitized women farmers in the North Central geopolitical Zone on how to tackle deforestation and excessive heat emissions into the atmosphere as these are some of the major causes of climate change.
Speaking at the National Center for Women Development during the grand finale of a Workshop on Gender Mainstreaming, with the theme, ‘Climate Change Mitigation and Adaption Strategies for Smallholder Women Farmers’ in North Central Zone, the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr Ernest Umakhihe, who was represented by Director, Reform Coordination Department, Gertrude Orji, in the Ministry, said said the theme of the programme is rightly targeted and timely especially when viewed from the outcomes of the recent 2021 COP26 climate change conference which took place in Glasgow, United Kingdom.
He said that “the national gender policy which was approved in 2019 with the trust being hinged upon gender equity and equality for optimum productivity in the agricultural sector.
This he said “would ultimately ensure commitment to gender mainstreaming at all level of agricultural programmes which is seen as a tool for gender based reforms and increasing productivity by men and women along all value chains in the sector”
He said “the national steering committee for the implementation of gender equality in the sector was approved and inaugurated by the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development in readiness for the implementation of the national policy because Nigeria’s agricultural sector seems most vulnerable and susceptible to the impact of climate change reason being that it is mainly rain-fed dependent.
” This means that any change in the weather pattern, in terms of the amount, intensity, duration, and the onset affect the farmer’s decisions on when, what and which of the crops to cultivate. Therefore, women farmers in rural areas need to be empowered and sensitized for them to be able to deal with climate change related issues.
The Minister of Women Affairs, Dame Pauline Tallen, who was represented by Director, Economic Affairs Services, in the Ministry, Idris Mohammed, said, “With climate change, empowerment of women is key and it is actually in line with the theme of this year’s Celebration of women.
The Minister recognized the contributions of women and girls around the world who have given climate change, adaption, mitigation and response to build a more sustainable future urging women farmers to align themselves with current trend on farming activities and understanding the dynamism of climate change.
Also speaking at the event was a professor in Criminology and Gender Studies, Prof Hauwa Evelyn Yusuf, who expressed hope that the workshop will change the narrative among women farmers in mitigating climate change, and also increase their productivity.
She however, said further that “We have other challenges as women farmers in terms of investment, environment and land so, there is the need to create an enabling environment for them so that they can harness their resources to be able to progress in farming.”
The Head of Gender in Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Ifeoma Anyanwu said, “This workshop is organised by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development on the heels of changes of weather patterns, and the thrust of this workshop is to build the skills and competences of women farmers on mitigation and adaption strategies against climate change.
“Climate change has differential impacts on men and women with women being the most vulnerable, and that is why the Honourable Minister has directed that women across the six geopolitical zones bei trained on how to mitigate the impact of climate change in line with the Sustainable Development Goal number 13th, predicated on addressing climate change and its impact.”
She added that the training is part of the gender policy on tackling climate change and promised to sustain the tempo in terms of capacity building of women on climate change and across value chains in agriculture.
Participants at the workshop comprising farmers from Kogi, Plateau, Benue, Nasarawa, Kwara, Niger states and the FCT all received gas stoves most of whom commended the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development for the empowerment saying the cooking gas would cushion the effect of stress of using firewood and charcoal for cooking.
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