By Lizzy Carr
Catalyzing strengthened Policy Action for Healthy Diets and Resilience CASCADE through it’s farmers field and business school is empowering women through nutrition sensitive agriculture so that they can grow nutritious crops to address the menace of malnutrition in the states of Bauchi, Jigawa, kebbi and Nassarawa.
Program manager of CASCADE Isaac Ishaya Audu said this at the farmers field day held at the CASCADE Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University (ATBU) model farm at Gubi Campus Bauchi.
He noted that CARE globally leads an approach called Farmer field day and business school which is used to support climate resilient practices among small holder Farmers.
CASCADE he added has conducted a train the trainers that Faculties to provide technical back stopping to Agricultural development programs staff in the four states it is implementing the project.
We are working closely with Association of Deans of Faculties of Agriculture in selected universities who are to lead the process of scaling up this approach into their faculty curriculum so that in the long run students will come out with the clear extension technology that they can impact their communities in terms of addressing access to extension information which is a challenge “.
CASCADE he stated is working with academic institutions to break the technology gap to back stop the ADPs in terms of field level implementation.
The program manager said consuming what is grown within our neighborhood will bring lasting solutions to the problem of malnutrition in the states .
During the Farmers field day the University showcased crop varieties like okra, eggplant, onion, pumpkin and gboma sika.
The small holder women Farmers were shown how to prepare the nutritious green vegetables that were harvested from the farm.
Speaking on behalf of the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Dr Rashida Abdulmumin said the crops will help the women improve their household nutrition and also as a source of income generation.
“For those who don’t have enough space to do back yard gardening they can grow crops in sacs and plastic containers, today the experts have shown you good agricultural practices that will assist you get better yields”.
Dr Rashida Abdulmumin advices the women to step it down to their communities.
Dean faculty of Agriculture ATBU Bauchi Prof Ambrose Wamba said the model farm will help students acquire knowledge and skills to scale up the approach in their various communities.
Bauchi State commissioner of Agriculture Dr Iliyasu Aliyu Gital acknowledged that the Farmers field day and business school is an approach that will help the State fight malnutrition.
