Stakeholders at a one- day training programme for women farmers in Ilorin, Kwara State, have called on the government at all levels to prioritise activities that could mitigate effects of climate change in order to ensure food security in the country.
They also called on the governments to formulate deliberate policy that would bring about all- year round farming across the country and not just during rainy season, as this will promote food security and sufficiency.
The training programme with theme ‘Artificial Intelligence For Women In Agriculture (AI4WIA)’ was organised by the Kwara State University (KWASU), Malete.
At the event, 90 women farmers were trained on how to mitigate effects of climate change on agricultural practice. The university also provided non- cash revolving facilities for the 90 women farmers that participated in the programme, held at the institution’s International Conference Centre in Ilorin, the state capital.
One of the resource persons at the training programme, Dr Olatunji Yusuf of the Agricultural Economy department of KWASU, said the university organised the programme to train the women farmers on artificial intelligence needed to mitigate effects of climate change on agricultural production.
“Agriculture in Africa is rain- dependent and rain has become erratic because of change in weather. Therefore, there is the need for adequate planning to mitigate the effects of erratic rainfall due to climate change on agricultural production.”
He disclosed plans by the university to empower the women farmers through clearing of farmlands and provision of other facilities, adding that it will be a non- cash revolving facility.
Two of the farmers, a staff of the state’s ministry of Agriculture, Mrs Taiwo Dorcas, and Kwara State coordinator for Small Scale Women Farmers Organisation in Nigeria, Alhaja Bose Anifowose, thanked the management of KWASU for their interest in the progress of women farmers.
Mrs Taiwo whose farm is located at Amoyo in Ifelodun local government area of the state said, “I’m delighted about this programme. This will change our perspective about farming and will increase our production.”
Similarly, Mrs Anifowose expressed delight at said training, stating , “Due to climate change, the NIMET’s prediction on rainfall may not work at times. We have learned more about climate change at this programme and it will yield a very big result in our outputs as farmers. We shall also transfer the knowledge gained here to our colleagues who were not in attendance.”
She appealed to Kwara State Government to implement policies that will ensure climate change mitigation. She emphasised the need for the government to find a lasting solution to the problem of flooding which annually destroys farmlands in most parts of the state.
The leader of women farmers also sought special assistance to enable them improve on present production capacity.
” We need the government’s assistance in the area of land clearing, fertiliser supply at subsidised rates and above all provision of adequate security around farm settlements to enable us and our aides work at our farms without fear of being attacked by hoodlums and bandits,” she said.
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