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By our reporter, Lafia
Young Men’s Christian Association (YMCA) in collaboration with the Association of Small Scale Agro Producers in Nigeria (ASSAPIN) has trained 50 women and youths on briquette production as an alternative source of energy to charcoal.
Mr Ango Adamu, Executive Secretary, YMCA Mada Hills told journalists in Akwanga Local Government Area of Nasarawa state that the two-day capacity building on briquette production aimed at promoting wider adoption.
He explained that the training was part of the African Activists for Climate Justice Project, which has been expanded to 5 additional LGAs in Nasarawa state, with support from Oxfam.
He said the participants who were majorly women and youths were selected from the 5 benefiting LGAs; including Doma, Obi, Wamba, Keana and Keffi respectively.
“The participants who were drawn from the benefiting LGAs were trained on briquette production as an alternative energy source to charcoal production which has to do with the falling of trees.
“So, we feel if the rural community is empowered to locally produce briquette using waste from the harvest of their crops within their environment, they will be able to build resilience against the impacts of climate change.
“In one way they will be cleaning the environment at the same time converting those waste into briquette for domestic use and ultimately commercial production for income generation.
The Executive Secretary noted that the step-down training would be organised immediately for the benefiting LGAs for wider knowledge and adoption of innovative way of producing briquette without falling trees.
“The participation was very impressive, we also have two NGOs, Together We Can and Ogbenge Women supported by Oxfam who joined us to support us in this fight against climate change, “he said.
Mr Peter Bassey, a facilitator and Executive Director, of PIB Global Services Ltd said the training aimed to expose the participants to briquette production, using biomass like Rice and maize husks.
“Falling of tree for charcoal production has economical and ecological sabotage effects,
so, we are now teaching them how to produce briquette using available farm wastes without cutting down trees.
“This will help them to be self-sustainable. They can produce this for domestic use and when in large quantities they can sell to help themselves,” he said.
Some participants who spoke with newsmen, Koto Awolowo and Tama-Madhir Joy, while describing the training as impactful and life-improving, urged the master trainers to focus more on women given their vulnerability to climate change.
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