About 1,500 families across Moniya, Agbowo, and Apete communities in Ibadan, Oyo State, have been trained on climate-smart agricultural practices designed to improve food security, nutrition, and environmental sustainability.
The initiative, tagged “Sustainable Organic Backyard Garden,” was organized by The Waste Museum in collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Global Environment Facility (GEF).
The National Coordinator of the UNDP-GEF Small Grants Programme, Mrs. Ibironke Olubamise, said the project aims to address climate change, promote food self-sufficiency, and curb environmental degradation caused by unsustainable human activities.
“This is a call to action to dig deeper into the soil through locally driven solutions for sustainable living,” she stated, urging participants to replicate the knowledge gained within their communities.
The Founder and Creative Director of the initiative, Mrs. Jumoke Olowookere, explained that the free training focuses on low-cost, space-efficient methods of turning waste into wealth.
Participants learned how to cultivate vegetables, herbs, and fruits in their backyards using recycled materials such as sacks and containers.
She urged them to make practical use of the distributed materials and avoid selling them off.
Mrs. Olowookere added that beneficiaries would receive free seeds and basic farming tools, while facilitators would conduct follow-up assessments to monitor their progress and reward outstanding participants after three months.
During a motivation session, Dr. Oluwakemi Ademola-Aremu, a toxicologist, said the programme would help create jobs, reduce crime, promote healthy diets, and empower communities.
She urged Nigerians to explore the opportunities in backyard farming, noting that “Nigeria is blessed with fertile land that can banish poverty and promote self-reliance.”
Training facilitators, including Mr. Mosadoluwa Jotham, Mrs. Adekunbi Omotoso, and Miss Olajumoke Adedeji, guided participants through sessions on soil health, composting, container gardening, vertical farming, and backyard snail rearing.
Participants such as Mr. Abdulmumin Komolafe and Mrs. Monsurat Tiamiyu praised the initiative and called for greater government investment in agriculture.
Community leaders, including the Alapete of Apeteland, Oba Raheem Idowu-Oke (represented by Chief Rasheed Adeleke), and Iyaloja Oja’Agbe Moniya, Madam Kudirat Lasisi, commended the organisers for the empowerment programme and pledged to support continued advocacy for sustainable, food-secure Communities.
Reporting by Sherifdeen Nashirdeen