By Faridat Salifu
One hundred women farmers in Nasarawa State have received training on climate change and sustainable farming practices to help them adapt to changing weather patterns and reduce agricultural losses.
The training was held on Wednesday in Doma Local Government Area under the Women Environmental Programme’s (WEP) project, “Strengthening Climate Resilience and Sustainable Livelihood for Rural Women,” funded by Irish Aid with support from the Government of Ireland.
Damaris Uja, WEP’s Programme Lead, said the initiative was designed to help women understand climate change and adopt farming methods that could protect their livelihoods from its effects.
Uja identified extreme heat, irregular rainfall and limited access to reliable weather information as challenges affecting women farmers, particularly those who rely on seasonal rainfall to determine when to plant.
She said WEP invited experts from the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) to educate participants on accessing weather information and using seasonal climate forecasts to guide their farming activities.
According to her, some farmers begin planting after the first rainfall without knowing whether subsequent rains will follow, exposing their crops to potential losses.
The training therefore emphasised the importance of consulting NiMet’s seasonal climate calendar before deciding when to plant.
Uja said the 100 participants were selected from five communities in Doma LGA using information gathered during community engagements, with community leaders helping to identify women actively involved in farming.
Although the women were the programme’s direct beneficiaries, she said the project was expected to reach more than 1,000 households indirectly.
She added that the selection process included women with disabilities, noting that they also participate in farming but are often excluded from agricultural interventions.
During a presentation titled “Climate Education”, Angbashi Ishaku, a retired Director of Climate Change at the Nasarawa State Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources, urged the women to follow seasonal climate guidance to reduce the risks associated with unpredictable rainfall and changing weather conditions.
He said the session focused on explaining how climate change affects farmers, particularly through unstable weather patterns, and the measures they could adopt to minimise its impact.
Two participants, Alheri Joseph and Asheazi Nasara, welcomed the training, saying they had learnt about climate-smart agriculture, including the appropriate timing for planting and harvesting, as well as storage practices to reduce post-harvest losses.
The programme seeks to strengthen rural women’s resilience by improving their access to climate information and promoting farming practices that can help protect agricultural production and household livelihoods.
