Some women in Bauchi State say backyard farming has helped them reduce household spending on groceries while providing an additional source of income.
The women, who spoke in separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday in Bauchi, said the practice was particularly rewarding during the rainy season when crops thrive with minimal effort.
A student, Ms Esther Garba, said she took up backyard farming to keep herself engaged and provide fresh vegetables for her family without relying on the market.
Garba said she cultivated spinach, tomatoes, maize and beans in the small garden around her home.
“When preparing soup, I simply harvest the vegetables from my backyard instead of going to the market to buy them,” she said.
A housewife, Mrs Chungfi Yusuf, said she embraced backyard farming to prevent overgrown vegetation around her home while reducing the amount spent on food.
Yusuf said she cultivated okra and soybeans, which she used in preparing soups and producing soy milk for her family.
According to her, the practice has made fresh food items more readily available for household consumption.
Also speaking, Ms Jennifer Musa, a resident of Kagadama community, described backyard farming as rewarding, saying she had grown vegetables around her home for the past three years.
She said the practice gave her access to fresh vegetables while keeping her surroundings clean and green.
“I love nature and I enjoy seeing my environment green. Apart from using the vegetables at home, I also sell some to earn extra income,” she said.
Musa urged more women to embrace backyard farming to improve household food availability, reduce living costs and maintain cleaner environments.
An agricultural extension agent, Ms Sarah Yakubu, said backyard farming contributed directly to women’s economic empowerment by lowering household food expenses and creating additional sources of income.
She explained that the practice enabled women to make productive use of small spaces around their homes for crop cultivation and other agricultural activities.
“Through backyard farming, women can save money on groceries, sell surplus produce and generate income,” Yakubu said.
Source: (NAN)
