African Climate Reporters, an NGO, on Monday trained young farmers in Kaduna on better ways to combat desertification, erosion and mitigate climate change.
The Coordinator of the group, Mohammed Zakariyya, said at a workshop for the young farmers held at Teku International Farm Kaduna, that the aim was to save more agricultural land from turning into desert.
“The programme is aimed at educating young farmers about climate change and environmental degradation affecting agricultural land.
“The training will help more farmers to incorporate the latest scientific advances and technologial tools into their daily operations in the farmland and the environment, which will help in quality food crops production.
“It is important to educate Nigerian farmers about climate change and other environmental challenges to enable them learn the various ways to protect their farmland and the crops.
“Our target is also to raise more awareness on planting of trees along river banks,” he said.
Zakariyya observed that large number of local farmers, along the river banks in Nigeria, lost huge hectares of agricultural land due to flooding and erosion.
He solicited for more support from the Ministry of Agriculture so as to take the campaign to various young farmers groups in the villages.
According to him, farmers are in need of continuos education to keep them abreast of the fast moving changes taking place around the globe in the field of cultivation and farming system.
He added that climate change is having impact on Nigeria agricultural system which need to be addressed.
“We are planing to engage more extension field officers into our programmes, to take the camaign to farmers groups in rural communities.
“Our local farmers need more information about climate change,” he said.
Zakariyya commended the media for educating the rural farmers about new farming techniques in their various programmes.
General Manager of Teku International Farm Kaduna, Alhaji Ibrahim Salisu said they organised different programs in the farm yearly targeted at educating young farmers about new farming techniques.
“They are also taught on how to adapt to climate change and other environmental factors affecting crops production.
“Our target is to educate over 300 young farmers in Nigeria about climate change and new methods of farming,” he said.
A beneficiary of the training, Mustapha Salisu, thanked the organisers for the programe and promised to utilize the knowledge gained from the training.
