Women have been identified to be the ones facing the greatest risks of climate change.
According to UN Women, “a changing climate affects everyone, but it’s the world’s poorest and those in vulnerable situations, especially women and girls, who bear the brunt of environmental, economic and social shocks.”
However, it is the womenfolk who are known to be “early adopters of many new agricultural techniques, first responders in crises, entrepreneurs of green energy and decision-makers at home. Women offer valuable insights and solutions into better managing the climate and its risks.”
In Nigeria, one young woman has purposed to change the lot of her kind, and further empower them to play their pivotal role in mitigating the effects of climate change.
Alice Adedayo Ige is a renewable energy professional, whose passion is to advance the delivery of clean energy options in Africa and also provide innovative techniques. She is the Founder of African Energy Advocacy Initiative (AEAI).
Together with Women in Renewable Energy, Council of Renewable Energy, Nigeria and Asteven Group, Ige and AEAI will be working to ensure that women in Nigeria, specifically women in agriculture, are empowered to work using clean energy alternatives.
AEAI is a social enterprise geared towards sustainable energy in Africa that will advance the delivery of energy needs in Africa, while incorporating emerging and innovative techniques in energy efficiency.
The organisation focuses on providing high quality solutions in energy, innovatively providing clean energy options in Africa.
Ige told Ecoscope, “In April 2018, we will be launching the ‘Project 60000 women in energy business’, for women who should go through trainings in different areas of renewable energy business.
“Initially, we had planned the Project 1000 women in energy business. But we, the African Energy Advocacy Initiative, are now collaborating with the Women in Renewable Energy, Council of Renewable Energy, Nigeria and Asteven Group to train 60,000 local women farmers in the agriculture value chain on the use of green devices for higher agricultural productivity.
“They will also be taken through the business aspect of the project. The aim is to make them self-sufficient, offset carbon emissions and also contribute to food security.
“We will be working with agricultural clusters, and providing green devices based on their current need.
“For the first phase, we and our partners have identified an agricultural cluster in Ebonyi.”
Other states in the mix include Enugu, Ebonyi, Ogun and Edo.
Ige, the current Renewable Focal Point for Eco-System Based Adaptation for Food Security Assembly (UNEP; EBAFOSA) in Nigeria explains how it will work.
“For example, if the cluster we are working with is a fish farming cluster, solar dryers will be provided. Our partner, Asteven, is also coming up with solar kiosks which are 100 per cent powered by solar energy, with deep freezers for preservation.
“It all depends on their primary occupation; then we include the clean energy value chain.”
She added that, “At the end of the training, women will have access to finance to be able to fund their businesses.”
and then