Taraba Govt. launches livestock productivity resilience support project to combat gender-based violence

Taraba Govt. launches livestock productivity resilience support project to combat gender-based violence

Callistus Agwaza, Jalingo 

In a bid to enhance livestock productivity and address the issue of gender-based violence, the Taraba State Government has rolled out a Livestock Productivity Resilience Support Project.

 The initiative, which came yesterday, in Jalingo, was said to be in collaboration with the World Bank, which the government announced that it have been positioned to benefit over forty thousand households in rural communities within the state.

Under the auspices of the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, the project focuses on building resilience among pastoralists. 

A crucial component of this effort, according to the state project coordinator,Hananiah Albert, involves training members of the Project Implementation Unit in preventing gender-based violence, recognizing the psychological impact on victims that hampers productivity in various livelihood aspects, including livestock production.

The project, as further made known by him, seeks to challenge societal stereotypes that disadvantage certain genders, such as cultural norms preventing women from owning properties like lands, farms, or engaging in animal rearing.

 By targeting rural communities across the state’s 16 Local Government Areas, the government, he said aim to “alleviate some of these limitations through the World Bank-assisted Livestock Productivity Resilience Support Project.

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“Given that farming and livestock production form the backbone of rural livelihoods in the state, the project intends to elevate entrepreneurial skills in these crucial areas.” He said.

Emphasizing the significance of the initiative, the exercise which witnessed the training of the Project Implementation Unit on gender-based violence prevention, establishing a clear referral pathway, the coordinator believed would bring to an end an era where women are discriminated against in the state.

Aligning her weight to that of the state project coordinator, the National Gender Specialist, Maryam Adamu, said the holistic approach is aimed not only to enhance livestock productivity but also to address social challenges that impede the full potential of rural communities, marking a significant step towards sustainable development in the State.