The Family Life and Community Health Society, under the Development Research and Projects Centre NGO Support Initiative, has empowered subsistence women farmers in the Rafin-Kwara community with financial skills.

The training, titled ‘Basic Money Skills and Sustainable Farming,’ is geared towards boosting sustainable agriculture in Karu LGA, Nasarawa.

Ene Ochegbudu, FLACHS NSI Project Director, stated that the training was a continuation of earlier capacity-building efforts held in the Lokotiye community, located in the same locality. During these earlier sessions, farmers were trained on climate-smart agriculture, agroecology, and pest/disease control.

She explained that the financial literacy component of the capacity-building initiative was designed to equip the women with essential money management skills, complementing their acquired agricultural knowledge and ensuring improved productivity and sustainable livelihoods.

Ms Ochegbudu said that the training also focused on empowering the women to plan financially before, during, and after each farming season to enhance their income.

She identified financial planning as a critical and first step in farming, adding that money, as a powerful tool, contributes to meeting the self-esteem, safety, belonging, and physiological needs of farmers.

According to her, when a farmer plans their finances well, the family grows stronger.

She decried the situation in which many farmers struggle to sustain their farming activities after each harvest, attributing the challenge to poor financial planning.

The director urged participants to avoid frivolous spending on ceremonies and prioritise self-sustaining ventures with good returns to reduce dependency on others.

In his remarks, Joe Dikko, deputy director of the Department of Agriculture, Karu LGA, commended FLACHS and dRPC for their efforts in equipping women farmers with both agricultural inputs and financial literacy.

Mr. Dikko noted the critical role of women farmers, who he said contribute over 70 percent of the state’s food supply but often face neglect from the government and society.

He stated that, given the current inflation and cultural barriers, women farmers needed financial knowledge and skills more than ever.

Similarly, Mercy Nnaji, dRPC representative, commended the women’s efforts in contributing significantly to the nation’s food security drive.

Ms Nnaji assured that the organisation would continue to do everything possible to ensure adequate empowerment of women farmers for sustainable income and livelihood.

Speaking on behalf of the farmers, Christy Ishiaku expressed gratitude to the organisers for the impactful initiative.

Ms Ishiaku noted that the organisation’s earlier provision of improved cowpea seedlings had already eased their financial burdens. She noted that the current financial literacy skills have further strengthened their ability to plan for future farming seasons.

Wazili Auta, one of the community heads, appreciated dRPC for the intervention, adding that the gesture would go a long way in boosting agricultural productivity in the area and ensuring food security.

(NAN)