NGO trains persons with disabilities on smart agriculture practices in Nasarawa

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By our reporter, Lafia

The Beacon Youth Initiative, a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) in collaboration with Education as a Vaccine has trained women and girls with disabilities on smart agricultural practices to boost food security in Nasarawa State.

The Executive Director, Beacon Youth Initiative, Mr Emmanuel Envoh Okolo, while speaking at the days capacity building on urban farming in Lafia said the training aimed at encouraging the participants to grow their own foods.

Okolo explained that the training was organised to complement the gains of the African Activists for Climate Justice (AACJ) project in Nasarawa State, with support from Oxfam in Nigeria.

He noted that the capacity-building training has strengthened the knowledge of the participants on urban farming, using sacks and other innovations to improve food production and reducing risks associated with open-field farming.

“Today, the Beacon Youth Initiative in partnership with Education as a Vaccine has strengthened the capacity of 22 women/girls with disabilities in urban farming.

“The essence of this training is among other things to enable participants to learn sustainable smart agricultural practices like use of sacks, improved seeds, soil and crops management.

“They also trained on pest management, manual application of herbicide, nurturing crops and water management for optimal crop growth,” he stated.

Okolo said the training has significantly improved participants’ agricultural knowledge and confidence, fostering self-reliance and a community support system among women with disabilities for the realisation of homegrown foods.

The Facilitators, Mr Maxwell Allu and Mrs Victoria Ayafa said the participants have been adequately trained on urban farming methods and techniques which would help them shift from purchasing crops to growing their own crops at home.

The participants, Asaba Averson, State Coordinator Advocacy for Women with Disabilities Initiative and Awazi Anthony, thanked the organisers for the training and promised to utilise the knowledge as well as share it with other members.