VCDP trains rural women, youth leaders in agriculture with skills to engage policymakers to secure support.
By Priscilla Ben.
The Value Chain Development Programme (VCDP) has organized a training for women and youth leaders on engaging with policy stakeholders to secure actionable commitments.
The Value Chain Development Programme (VCDP) has working to empower rural women and youths in Nigeria’s agricultural sector by providing them with the skills and tools needed to effectively engage with policy stakeholders.
According to Dr. Fati Aliyu, National Coordinator of VCDP, the lack of necessary skills to engage with policymakers is a major challenge hindering the progress of these groups.
She stated this during the training of VCDP AF1 Leaders of Women and Youth Networks on Engaging with Policy Stakeholders for Securing Actionable Commitments in Minna.
Represented by Mr. Musa Dalang,, Rural Institution Gender and Youth Development Specialist, the National Coordinator said to address this issue, VCDP decided to organize a training session for them, focusing on stakeholder engagement, advocacy, and securing actionable commitments.
She stated that the training will deal with critical aspect of providing them with practical hand on tools and techniques to enable them network to leaders .
” The training will equip them with skills to analyze stakeholders landscapes systematically and strategically, advocate professionally for interest of their constituencies, engage constructively with government officials, traditional leaders, private sector development partners as well as secure actionable commitments amongst others”
” We want the leaders under VCDP to efficiently and effectively engage with stakeholders and pass their message to gain their confidence and support for whatever they want to be addressed, ” Dr. Aliyu stated.
The Niger state VCDP Rural Institution Gender and Youth Main Streaming Officer, Maimuna Abubakar Ahmed said since setting up the groups, it was observed that they have been unable to effectively engage with stakeholders in the state to advocate on their challenges get them solved, hence the decision to hold the training.
Earlier, the Niger State Coordinator, Hajiya Hadizat Isah had explained that the Women and youth networking is one of the strategy developed by VCDP to train leaders on stakeholders engagment saying , ” Even if VCDP is not here tomorrow, its impact can still be felt because of the training given to these Leaders who will in turn impact on others”
Some of the beneficiaries identified lack unity among the women and youths networks under the VCDP in the state as one of the major issue militating against them…
According to them ” From what we have gotten as leaders from this training, our capacity has built on why we should speak with one voice, how to approach leaders in authority to explain our challenges and get answers among others areas..”
The chairperson Women Networking, Taowa Mohammed noted that the women group after what they have learned will unite and tackle lack unity and effective communication between members to ensure growth.
Collaborating with her, Abdullaziz Abubakar of the Youth Networking A, ” After this training we are going to meet as leaders of the Youth network to articulate our points in order to grab the attention of the stakeholders with what we have been able to achieve and informing them of our challenges in the state”
