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By Akanji Alowolodu, Bauchi
Farmers especially peasants in Bauchi state are to be educated on harmful farming practices that may limit their production levels if not abandoned considering the ongoing world climate change.
The awareness creation on the farmers is to be done by a Non-Governmental Organization based in Benin City the Edo state capital known as Health Of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF) presently working in Bauchi state.
Leader of the NGO in Bauchi state, Naziru Zakari Muhammad made this known when he visited the General Manager of Yankari Games Reserves and Safari, Alhaji Muhammad Ladan in his office saying that, “This is in line with HOMEF theme of ‘Hunger politics’.
He said that Educating Yankari support zone communities will improve park-communities relationship in the reserve particularly in the area of conducive atmosphere for farming activities within the area.
Naziru Zakari who is Conservation Biologist at the Reserve said that, as a volunteer, he was introducing his organization’s work to the GM for the first time with a view to seeking his support and collaboration.
While shading light on the activities of the NGO and how it relates to the aspect of destruction of biodiversity, Naziru Zakari informed the GM that through the awareness program, the support zone Communities of Yankari Game Reserve are going to be educated on avoiding harmful farming practices that have limited produce from the farms.
The Conservation Biologist who noted that some of the harmful farming practices destroys the environment and are not sustainable for subsistence farming, pointed out that the issue of environmental pollution is going to be included in the awareness campaign.
According to him, climate change and its impact are areas that are going to be touched in the environmental education program saying that farmers are going to be advised to engage in sustainable farming practices such as regenerative agriculture for a successful farming.
While responding, the General Manager of the Games Reserve, Alhaji Muhammad Ladan welcomed the idea of organizing the awareness campaign program and pledged his organization’s readiness to giving the desired support for its success so as to Support the Zone Communities of the Reserve who are mostly farmers.
The GM who is an expert in Wildlife Conservation as well as an environmentalist said that the program was timely and in line with the President Muhammadu Buhari’s economic diversification agenda.
Naziru during the courtesy visit on the GM also held meetings with Youth Corps Members serving in the Reserve as well as students on Industrial Training (IT) where he introduced the NGO and its activities in the country, advising them to be advocates of sustainable farming practices that are not detrimental to the environment.
Naziru Zakari also paid similar visit to the management of Bauchi State Agricultural Development Project (BSADP) where he presented some copies of educational materials produced by his NGO to the Director, Extension services of the BSADP.
The Director Extension services of the BSADP on his part, welcomed the idea and pledged to give the program the desired support, adding that he will ensure that the environmental awareness program is included in the Agricultural programs of the Bauchi state government.
