Fifty women selected from eight local government areas of Kano State have gained training on climate-smart agriculture.
The empowerment training was organised by the Bridge Connect Africa Initiative (BCAI), a non-governmental organization, in collaboration with fixING under the Women Against Violence Empowerment through Sustainability (WAVES) II Project, funded through the French Embassy fund for civil society organisations.
Speaking at the commencement of the first training session at the Industrial Training Fund (ITF) Centre in Kano, the Program Manager, Ruquayya Abdulhadi, said the training aims to empower beneficiaries to engage in sustainable practice that enhances climate resilience and improves food production.
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She explained that as part of the project programs, the climate-smart training will focus on cucumber and okra production with an introduction to climate-smart agriculture, nursery establishment, transplanting process, harvesting techniques, and associated post-harvest handling.
“These crops are crops that can grow in 40 days. We have also provided them with start-up packs comprising seeds, containers, among others, and do the same practicals at home, and by that, we expect them to teach other women,” Abdulhadi said.
The program manager also highlighted that the training will also serve as a sustainable means of livelihood and a tool for economic empowerment, which can serve as a shield to gender-based violence.
While noting that the beneficiaries had earlier received training on gender-based violence, she said they will also be exposed to business development training and provided with a platform to showcase products at the end of the nine-month program.
Some of the beneficiaries, Maryam Ibrahim and Mrs. Garba Mohammad, from Bichi and Kumbtoso Local Government Areas, commended the organization for selecting them to be part of the program, promising to utilise the skills learnt to build a robust business and improve their livelihood.
