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Gombe women farmers lament impact of climate change on agriculture
Gombe women farmers lament impact of climate change on agriculture
Small-Scale Women Farmers Organization in Nigeria (SWOFON), Gombe State chapter, on Tuesday, lamented the impact of climate change on agricultural productivity in the state.
The State Chairperson, SWOFON, Mrs. Airudia Mamman, expressed the women farmers’ concern in Gombe at the end of a one-day Stakeholders Consultative Meeting on the 2025 agriculture budget.
Mamman while reading the communiqué said climate related issues had resulted in the reduction of crop yields, threatened food security as well as the livelihoods of women farmers.
She said that yields by some farmers in the state in recent times showed that climate change had significant negative effect on agricultural productivity.
She said that in view of that, there was the need for actions to be taken to mitigate such impact towards ensuring food availability in the state.
She stated that the impact of climate change had been felt most by women farmers in the state.
She appealed for more support to women farmers and promote climate smart agriculture, noting that such supports was needed to tackle hunger and food unavailability.
Mamman said agro-ecology-based Climate Resilient Sustainable Agriculture (CRSA) remained the most effective way to tackling the crisis of climate change and food insufficiency.
“Budget lines for Climate Resilient Sustainable Agriculture (CRSA)/Agro-ecology should be created and adequately provided in the budget to support climate change mitigation, adaptation and sustainable agricultural production,” she said.
SWOFON chairperson in the state also called on the state government to prioritise timely disbursements of funds to support women and youths in agriculture.
She stated that such would greatly boost food sufficiency, create wealth for poor and vulnerable farmers and ensure self-employment.
“A budget line for credits and loans for SWOFON and youths in the state should be created to further support smallholder women farmers in the state, “ she said.
Mamman said it was imperative for government to continue to support women farmers in the state as they played vital roles in agricultural production and were key to achieving food security.
For his part, Mr Barnabas Malle, the Commissioner for Agriculture and Animal Husbandry and Cooperatives restated the commitment of the state government to supporting all farmers in the state.
Malle who was represented by Mr Jonathan Bulus, Assistant Chief Principal Superintendent at the ministry said part of efforts to improve the agriculture sector led to the subsidising of fertilisers and other farm implements.
He said that the government was committed to increasing budgetary allocations to the sector.
Malle advised women farmers in the state to leverage the free extension services available at rural areas to improve their yields.
“Women farmers can also take advantage of the tractors being hired at subsidised rates.
“Some mini tractors can be hired at the rate of N50, 000 per day as against the normal price of N150, 000 and this can till six hectares daily.
“We also have the power tiller which can be hired a week at the rate of N30, 000 as against N70, 000 and can till four hectares per day.
“They should take advantage of these services at our farm centres to improve their productivity,” he said.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the meeting was organised by the Gombe State chapter of SWOFON, Hope Foundation for the Lonely.
This was in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture and Animal Husbandry and Cooperatives, with support from ActionAid Nigeria.
Gov. Inuwa Yahaya of Gombe State has praised MTN Foundation for upgrading science laboratories at Government Science Secondary School, Gombe. During the inauguration ceremony on Tuesday, Yahaya, represented by the Commissioner for Science, Technology, and Innovation, Abdullahi Garkuwa, acknowledged MTN’s contribution to enhancing educational infrastructure in the state.
He noted that the upgraded labs would boost students’ understanding of science, technology, and innovation, complementing government efforts to improve school facilities. Yahaya added that MTN’s intervention, as part of its corporate social responsibility, would strengthen science education, laying a foundation for future manpower development, especially in the health sector.
The state’s Commissioner for Education, Hajiya Ashaitu Maigari, highlighted the collaborative nature of the project, stating that over 3,000 students would benefit. She emphasized that MTN’s support addresses critical gaps in practical learning, aligning with the government’s billions of naira investment in upgrading schools.
MTN Senior Manager, Hamza Ibrahim, revealed that the foundation had invested hundreds of millions in Gombe State across various projects, including health facilities and boreholes. He further disclosed that MTN had renovated over 100 science labs in 32 schools nationwide in the last three years, aiming to improve science education standards.
The school principal, Abdulhakim Mudansir, also expressed gratitude for the partnership, noting the impact on the school’s infrastructure, including the renovation of Biology, Physics, Chemistry, and Agriculture labs.
Governor Umar Namadi of Jigawa has suspended his Special Adviser on Salaries and Pensions, Alhaji Bashir Ado, for allegedly issuing a premature statement about the approval of a N70,000 minimum wage for state workers.
The Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Malam Bala Ibrahim, disclosed this in a statement on Saturday, expressing the government’s concern over reports circulating in the media that the governor had approved the new minimum wage.
“This claim is premature and embarrassing as the committee assigned to recommend the appropriate wage, led by the Head of the State Civil Service, is still in the process of completing its task and has not yet submitted its report,” Ibrahim stated.
As a result, Governor Namadi has approved Ado’s immediate suspension pending the outcome of an investigation by a committee chaired by the State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Barr. Bello Abdulkadir. The committee, which includes members such as the Commissioners for Information, Health, and the Permanent Secretary of Establishment and Service Matters, has been given two weeks to submit its findings on the source, content, and intent of the statement.
The government remains committed to carefully reviewing the wage recommendations before making any formal announcements.
The Federal Government has called on Nigerians to seek official permission before using the national anthem to prevent potential misinterpretation. This directive was issued by the Director General of the National Orientation Agency (NOA), Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu, in a statement released on Wednesday, October 8.
While the specific contexts in which permission is required were not detailed, the NOA emphasized its role as the custodian of national symbols, tasked with preventing misuse. “Permission must be sought from the Agency before using the National Anthem to avoid misrepresentation,” the statement noted.
Issa-Onilu also clarified the proper design of the Nigerian flag, stating that the correct shade of green is Emerald 2.0. He highlighted that past administrations had focused predominantly on infrastructure, neglecting value orientation, which led to the decline of institutions like the Boys’ Scouts, Girls’ Brigade, and the WAI Brigade.
The current administration, however, is committed to reversing this trend, with President Tinubu offering support to the NOA. Issa-Onilu further urged the production of local cartoon content to counter foreign influences affecting young Nigerians.
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