By Atoyebi Nike
In a bid to address rising insecurity and socio-economic marginalization, the Fulbe Development and Cultural Organization (FUDECO) in partnership with SPARC has trained and empowered over 250 pastoralist women across Nasarawa State through a wide-ranging skills acquisition programme.
The initiative, supported by the International Development Research Centre (IDRC) and UK Aid, focuses on providing women with practical skills such as making bags, soaps, shoes, yogurt, and perfumes—alongside start-up capital and platforms to market their products.
Speaking during a stakeholders engagement event in Lafia, FUDECO State Chairman, Muhammad Habib Hussaini, said the intervention follows extensive research on the challenges faced by pastoral women, including exclusion from education, social services, and economic opportunities.
“The goal is to equip these women with livelihood options, so they don’t see crime as a means of survival,” Hussaini stated.
The event, titled “Consolidating the Outcomes of the IDRC-SPARC GES Research Findings on the Economic Empowerment of Pastoralist Women,” brought together stakeholders from security agencies, traditional and religious institutions, and youth groups.
Lead researcher, Dr. Usman Ibrahim, from the Federal University of Lafia, presented findings showing that over 70% of pastoralist women lack access to formal education, health care, potable water, and land. He urged governments and donor agencies to support inclusive empowerment policies and invest in nomadic education infrastructure.
Stakeholders praised the programme as a model for addressing poverty, gender inequality, and rural insecurity. FUDECO has appealed to the Federal and Nasarawa State Governments for additional support to expand the programme to more communities.
