UAES, FUNAAB train rural farmers on climate finance
Rural farmers in Nigeria could soon tap into global climate finance, thanks to a new initiative that seeks to turn sustainable farming into a pipeline for climate funding.
At a one-day workshop held at the University of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences (UAES) in Umuagwo, Imo State, experts from UAES, the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, and Al-Hikmah University collaborated to train farmers on accessing environmental and climate-related funds. The event, backed by the European Union’s DIGISOL Project, focused on empowering small-scale agro enterprises in rural communities through sustainable finance.
“Small-scale agro enterprises form the backbone of the agricultural sector, yet access to finance remains a major hurdle,” said Prof. Christopher Eze, Acting Vice Chancellor of UAES, represented by Dr Obinna Adumanya. The workshop, he explained, was designed to demystify climate finance and introduce farmers to innovative funding schemes that aim to reduce poverty and promote sustainable development.
Gender expert Dr Chinwe Nwogu also highlighted the specific challenges faced by rural women, urging them to use digital financial tools to access insurance and climate funds.
Meanwhile, financial expert Chinedu Anowuru reminded participants that funding agencies, such as the Green Climate Fund, require projects to demonstrate measurable community impact.
Organisers say the training, now in its third year under DIGISOL, has already made meaningful digital and financial inroads in communities across Imo, Ogun, and Kwara States.
