By OBOH LINUS

Some vulnerable women in Nasarawa and Benue States, including women with disabilities, have highlighted how sack farming has empowered them to feed their families and reduced their dependence on vegetables from open markets.

They gave their success stories at the “Learning Workshop on Nature-Based Solution’ organised by Global Initiative for Food Security and Ecosystem Preservation (GIFSEP)” on Friday in Lafia.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the programme is part of the African Activists for Climate Justice (AACJ) project being implemented in the two states for the past four years, with support from Oxfam in Nigeria.

Mrs Cecilia Nekre, a sack farm owner who lives in Bukansidi, an outskirt of Lafia town, Nasarawa state, said that before now, she used to buy her vegetables and potatoes from the market, but now feeds from her farm.

Nekre said she participated in the nature-based solution training in 2024 and 2025, organised by GIFSEP, where she was exposed to urban farming techniques like mixing manure and filling them in the sack bags to grow natural food.

According to her, sack farming changed her perception about farming where one has to rely on an expanse of land and fertiliser to farm, noting that with a small space in the backyard, one can now own a farm.

“I no longer buy vegetables like water leaves, okra, pepper, and tomatoes from markets because I have them in my farm. I have enough to eat and to sell. I also grow yams and potatoes.

“Having a space to expand has been my biggest challenge, because I’m living in a rented apartment and sometimes domestic animals like goats destroy my farm, especially during nursery preparation,” she said.

Mrs Asaba Averson, Coordinator, Women with Disabilities, Nasarawa State, said she started her sack farming in 2024 after receiving the training and noted that the harvest was amazing.

“I am excited to be part of those who benefited from the AACJ project in Nasarawa State, especially sack farming, which GIFSEP is implementing in the state.

When I took a picture of my farm and sent it to GIFSEP, I was asked to get more women with disabilities to be trained too. Now, GIFSEP has trained more women with disabilities and men because of me.

“We are so excited because our lives have changed for good. We planted vegetable like `ugu’, okra, pepper, tomatoes, and potatoes, and we are no longer buying vegetables again,” she said.

Averson, while encouraging more women in the city to embrace sack farming, however, said they needed more training on how to adequately mix compost manure to increase yield.

Mrs Elizabeth Greg-Edekhe, from Benue State, said that before now she didn’t own a farm, but she is a proud owner of a yam and vegetable farm where her family eats from now.

She described the reality of having a farm right there in the backyard as a beautiful experience, noting that she is no longer buying vegetables from markets.

Mr Joseph Ibrahim, Programme Manager for GIFSEP, said the workshop was organised to bring together the beneficiaries of sack farming training to share their experiences regarding the successes and challenges encountered in adopting the solution.

“So far, it’s been enriching. We are seeing that some people have very unique indigenous knowledge, and people are innovative in the way they respond to issues. That is why we are here.

“For us as an organisation, we are taking note of these locally led solutions by these women and their challenges to improve our programming and design of initiatives.

“Also to be able to amplify the work and indigenous knowledge that these communities are coming up with to the global audience so that they can receive support subsequently for the work they do,” he said.

On the sustainability of the AACJ project, Ibrahim said women in the Agroecology group would be established to serve as a network and a platform for people of like mind to continue to share experiences and learn from each other as the project ends this year.

Earlier speaking, Dr Kenneth Akpan, AACJ Project Coordinator for Oxfam in Nigeria, urged the women to adopt innovative initiatives like nature-based solution training seriously to contribute to food security.

“I want to applaud the women.

“They are the forefront of farming and providing the solution, but most times they are not recognised, they are not seen, but when you have a solution like this, it helps you to safeguard your future generation and your security when it comes to food”. (NAN)