In a strategic move to address the intertwined crises of climate change, resource conflict, and economic vulnerability, the Women Environmental Programme (WEP) has launched an innovative initiative in Benue State. Funded by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) through the SPRiNG Programme and implemented with Tetra Tech International Development and ActionAid Nigeria, the project aims to empower 100 individuals with future-proof agricultural skills.
Ms. Damaris Uja, Head of Programmes at WEP, framed the project not merely as a training exercise, but as a direct response to a systemic breakdown. “We are confronting persistent farmer-herder conflicts driven by climate-induced resource pressures, declining agricultural productivity, and limited livelihood opportunities,” Uja stated at a project inception meeting in Katsina-Ala Local Government Area. These challenges, she noted, disproportionately impact women, youth, and persons with disabilities—groups often most vulnerable to insecurity and economic disruption.
The project’s core is the introduction of two complementary, climate-smart livelihood models designed to build resilience from the ground up.
1. Aquaponic Farming Systems: A Compact Food Production Revolution
This model introduces a home-based, water-efficient method that synergistically cultivates fish and vegetables. In a traditional aquaponic system, fish waste provides an organic nutrient source for plants, while the plants naturally filter and clean the water, which is then recirculated back to the fish tanks. This closed-loop system uses up to 90% less water than conventional soil-based agriculture and can produce significant yields in small spaces, such as a backyard or a small plot. “Aquaponics is especially suitable for women, youth, and persons with disabilities,” Uja explained, “as it mitigates common constraints like limited mobility, lack of access to large tracts of land, and the physical demands of traditional farming.”
2. Community-Managed Climate-Smart Mini Ranches: A Path to Peaceful Pastoralism
To directly address the root of grazing conflicts, the project will establish structured alternatives to open grazing. These mini ranches integrate cultivated fodder (like drought-resistant grasses), improved livestock management practices, and formal community-level governance. This model reduces the need for cattle to roam freely in search of feed, thereby minimizing crop destruction and the friction it causes. It promotes a shift towards sustainable, settled pastoralism where productivity and environmental management are enhanced.
The project’s five-month timeline (November 2025 to March 2026) is action-oriented. WEP will establish a demonstration aquaponic farm, provide hands-on technical training, set up the pilot mini ranches, and deliver comprehensive livestock management training. The goal is to tangibly enhance food security, boost household income, and strengthen climate resilience for the most vulnerable communities.
In a significant commitment to inclusivity, 10% of the 100 beneficiaries in Benue’s Katsina-Ala LGA and Katsina State’s Batagarawa LGA will be youth, and 5% will be persons living with disabilities. This ensures the project’s benefits reach those often excluded from mainstream development programs.
The initiative has garnered strong local support. The Chairman of Katsina-Ala Local Government, Mr. Justine Shaku, pledged to provide land for the project and was accompanied by traditional leaders from the Michihe Council Ward, signaling a unified community commitment. This grassroots endorsement is critical for the long-term sustainability and local ownership of the project, moving it beyond a donor-funded program to a community-embedded solution.
By tackling economic distress and resource competition simultaneously, this project offers a holistic blueprint. It moves the conversation from conflict management to proactive system change, where innovative agriculture becomes a tool for peace, productivity, and resilience in Nigeria’s food-producing heartland.
Source: NAN www.nannews.ng
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