National Parks service trains 1450 on entrepreneurship in Taraba, Adamawa

The National Park Service, in partnership with Africa Nature Investors (ANI), has trained 1450 women on entrepreneurship in Taraba and Adamawa states.

The conservator general of the National Park Service, Dr Ibrahim Musa Goni, disclosed this at the launching of a women’s centre and trade fair for women in communities that surround Gashaka-Gumti National Park, located within Taraba and Adamawa states, held at Toungo, the southern sector of the park, on Sunday.

He disclosed that a memorandum of understanding was signed between the National Park Service and Africa Nature Investors in 2017 to provide technical and financial support to Gashaka-Gumti National Park.

Represented by Dr Muhammed Kabir, assistant conservator, National Park Service, the conservator general said the partnership has brought about significant transformation and development for the park and the Indigenous people of the local communities. 

He, however, expressed satisfaction that a lot of benefits were achieved through the partnership entered into between the National Park Service and ANI.

He stated that the socio-economic conditions of communities within the park have substantially improved after the partnership was signed.

He said women groups formed into cooperative societies were trained in sewing, shea butter making and packaging, and hairdressing, among other skills, and starter kits were also provided to them. 

The Conservator General also disclosed that 70 volunteers were selected from the local communities within the Toungo and Gashaka area in the park and trained as rangers and are now protecting the resources of the park.

He also announced that 100,000 cattle were vaccinated as part of community service rendered by the park

In his address, Mr David Peter, Deputy Project Manager of Africa Nature Investors, said women in the surrounding areas of the park were economically empowered through entrepreneurship training, and their economic status has improved significantly through the partnership. 

He revealed that a saving scheme was also introduced, and the women were saving from what they earned from the sale of various products they produced, and currently their savings amount to over N30 million.

Various products produced by the women’s groups were displayed and sold during the trade fair held at Toungo in the southern sector of the park.