FG trains 150 women on mainstreaming gender into climate change
The Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has trained 150 women on mainstreaming gender into climate change in the North-East, the Minister, Dr Mohammed Abubakar, has said.
He said this in Bauchi on Thursday at the official opening of a two-day workshop, with the theme: ”Mitigation and Adaptation Strategies”.
Abubakar, represented by the Bauchi State Director of the ministry, Mr Daniel Abarshi, said the training would improve the women’s resilience to the harsh impact of climate change on farming.
According to him, climate change and variability affect particularly women, who constitute the most vulnerable among the farming communities.
The minister also said that the ministry was doing everything possible to encourage women farmers in rural communities.
He said that women faced various challenges and needs, bothering on climate change, variability, access to inputs, credit facilities and information technology, amongst others.
According to him, the training will help to expose the women to climate change adaptation and mitigation strategies.
“These will help to build their resilience to the threat and impact of climate change in agricultural production.
Also, the Head of Gender Unit, Department of Special Duties in the ministry, Mrs Ifeoma Anyanwu, said the Federal Government’s policy is to promote the adaptation of gender-sensitive and-responsive approaches in the agricultural sector.
“It is also to ensure that men and women have equal access to and control of productive resources,” Anyanwu said.
She said that the trainees were selected from the six northeast states of Adamawa, Bauchi, Borno, Gombe, Taraba and Yobe.
She said that each of the beneficiaries would get a gas cylinder cooker for fighting devastation and climate change.
She urged the beneficiaries to become masters of their own art, generate income and ensure sustainable means of livelihood in their communities.
One of the beneficiaries, Hajiya Zarah Sandabe, said that the training came at the right time when climate change affected all sectors and means of livelihood.
Sandabe gave assurance that participants would utilise what they learnt to engage in farming and resist the menace of tree cutting.
