By Nasir Shuaibu
Oxfam a non governmental organization said it has supported over 112,000 women smallholder farmers in 6 LGAs with an early maturing variety of maize and sorghum seeds, fertilizer, pesticides, and livestock since its commenced operations in September, 2016.
The NGO has also established 60 Processing hubs which we refer to as Nodal centers for these value chains, in 6 selected local government area councils at Bauchi, Ningi, Dass and Toro in the state.
This was disclosed by the Oxfam project coordinator in Bauchi, Mr Samuel Lashom at a lecture organised in commemoration of World International Women’s Day for Students of Bill and Melinda Health and Technology at Ningi, yesterday in Bauchi.
According, to the project coordinator, said that the Livelihoods and Nutritional Empowerment (LINE) Project has been implementing series of activities across 6 LGAS in Bauchi state for 5 years. The sustainable economic group(SEG) project is funded by GAC ( Global Affairs Canada)
Added that the project which focuses on supporting smallholder farmers to increase farm productivity. enhanced market access, better nutrition has reached over 112,000 beneficiaries in 14,000 households in Bauchi state. As well as building the capacity of farmers through basic farming techniques, value chain development training, and the introduction of new farming technologies respectively.
Corroborating, the Gender focal person, Zulai Abdulmalik, noted that in partnership with the Bauchi state ministry of agriculture and BSADP, the project has worked towards improving the value chain production of maize, sorghum, and livestock.
Abdulmalik, therefore, appealed for enrollment and employment of more women as agric extention workers in the state, with to give the teaming women farmer’s equal opportunity to feel up the already existing vacuum in agricultural sector in the state.
She further disclosed that the 112 women smallholder farmer’s beneficiaries cut across 14, 000 households in Bauchi state.