The exchange visit to Zinder led by WOFAN Executive Director Hajiya
salamatu Garba and the wife of Katsina State Governor Hajiya Fatima I.
Shema, was for ideas and experience sharing on coping strategies
practiced by farmers in combating the effects of climate change.
Niger being a Saharan area is dry with land topography categorized by
sand domes. The vegetative cover is characterized by a few scattered
shrubs. The soil is fragile and crops are grown under the minimum
tillage method. The most widely grown crops in the area were millet due
to its drought resistance while groundnut and cowpea are mostly grown
along as minor crops. The farmers in practice use long handled local
hoes to make planting holes instead of making ridges as is done in
Nigeria. It was observed that farmers in Zinder apply to the best of
their abilities both water and soil conservation practices.
  
At the community radio station in Zinder the visiting women groups from
Nigeria were shown round the station while officers at the station
explained how community members contribute towards the operation of the
radio station and how messages including agricultural related messages
are generated and aired for the listening pleasure and benefit of the
community members. The officer added that the community radio has given
community members access to express their views on important issues
concerning their general well being.
At Mata Maye in Zinder, the visiting women met groundnut oil women
processors group at their centre where they explained the various
processes they employ in processing groundnuts into oil. While
explaining the processes they displayed several of their locally
fabricated implements and machines used in oil processing. The
implements include a groundnut roaster with a metal mixer used to mix
and turn the groundnut while the heat from underneath the roaster roasts
the groundnuts, grinding machine for grinding the roasted groundnut,
kneading pans were the groundnut paste in mixed and cut into shapes
before frying which is the final stage where oil is obtained. The women
processors group in Mata Maye further explained that on average they
process more than a bag of groundnuts per day. The oil processed is
collected in drums and stored in their warehouse before being
transported to the market for sale.
The use of improved drought resistant cowpea varieties bred by the
International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) has also being
introduced to the farmers in Niger. The cowpea varieties were mostly
seen intercropped with millet. Importance of the intercropping system as
the farmers explain is that while the cowpea releases nitrogen into the
soil which is relevant for the vegetative growth and grain filling of
the millet, the millet will also provide shade for the cowpea which
reduces impacts of excess temperature, therefore a symbiosis
cooperation. |
