The inclusion of small-scale rural women farmers in the climate change action plan has been demanded by stakeholders.
They claimed that elevating the voices of rural women farmers, who bear the brunt of climate consequences, was crucial for fair and sustainable development.
The stakeholders made the comments during a one-day workshop on Wednesday in Osogbo on the Drawing and Validation of Rural Agricultural Women’s Perspectives on the State’s Climate Action Plan.
Advocate for Sustainable and Inclusive Community Development, a non-governmental organisation (NGO), with assistance from Urgent Action Fund Africa, held the session for rural women farmers in Osun.
The state Commissioner for Environment and Sanitation, Mr Mayowa Adejoorin, said the crucial perspectives and experiences of rural women farmers, who are mainly affected by climate change, had been neglected for too long.
Adejoorin, represented by the ministry’s Director of Climate Change and Renewable Energy, Mr Samuel Ogunleye, said the state government recognised that a truly effective and sustainable climate action plan could not be formulated in isolation.
“You (women) are the custodians of our land, the backbone of our food security, and the first to witness and adapt to the shifting patterns of our climate.
“Your deep understanding of local ecosystems, traditional farming practices, and the subtle changes in weather patterns is not just scientific enough; it is critical data that must inform our strategies and actions.
“This is why your participation in this process is not merely symbolic; it is fundamental to the success of this endeavour.
“Climate change presents unique challenges to our rural women farmers”, he said.
Also, the Director of the Centre for Gender and Social Policy Studies, Prof. Opeyemi Ekundayo, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, said climate change was not gender-neutral.
Ekundayo said that women farmers were already contending with systemic barriers, such as limited access to resources, decision-making exclusion, and gender-based violence, among others.
She, however, said that a climate policy that failed to integrate the views and experiences of women farmers risked perpetrating the barriers above.
Ekundayo said that the NGO’s initiative to mobilise women’s groups and demand gender-sensitive policies was a powerful step towards ensuring the inclusion of women farmers in climate change policy.
In her remarks, the NGO’s Executive Director, Chioma Otugo, said that the organisation was galvanising the movement of women’s groups to demand the inclusion of gender issues in the state government’s proposed climate plan actions.
Otugo noted that the organisation was currently implementing a project on a gender-reflective climate change policy for the state.
She said the policy was a critical document that would impact the state’s women farmers, businesses and environmentalists.
“Our mission is to enhance the lives of women, girls, and youth by promoting gender equality, economic empowerment, and inclusive growth.
“Our goal is to foster sustainability, resilience, and inclusivity, ensuring that every individual has the opportunity to advocate for their rights and contribute to social and economic progress”, she said.
Additionally, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Women Affairs, Mrs. Abimbola Babatunde, stated that the workshop was appropriate because it demonstrated a profound comprehension that inclusiveness is essential for climate action to be successful.
Rural women farmers are among the most vulnerable yet resilient in the face of climatic difficulties, according to Babatunde, represented by the ministry’s Director of Gender Affairs, Mrs. Olufunmilola Adewale.
Source: NAN
Image Credit: FreePik
