INVESTING IN RURAL WOMEN IN LIVESTOCK SYSTEMS: THE STORY OF UMM ABBA AND HER INSPIRING JOURNEY OF GROWTH AND RESILIENCE

On this International Women’s Day, we celebrate women in livestock production and animal health care delivery. These women, while the backbone of rural economies, face numerous challenges from access to finance, to training and proper education yet they rise above these challenges and thrive amidst adversity. 

We believe that Investing in women is key to transforming the livestock sector and rural economies. This has been proven by the story of one of our Veterinary Paraprofessionals trained during the climate-smart poultry production project in Taraba State, Nigeria.

Umm Abba is a Nigerian Veterinary Paraprofessional in Jalingo Taraba State who experienced a massive change in her business and practice due to the Climate Smart poultry production training and vaccinators program.

Having graduated with her national diploma in 2005, she began practicing rural animal healthcare service delivery but encountered an accident during a visit to a cattle farm. This made her stop animal health care service delivery in 2007 and pursue a higher degree in social studies. 

In her own words:

 “After my education, getting a job has been hard, which made me start up my kunu aya and zobo business. I didn’t know what else to do to help improve my financial capability until the step-down training initiative program that your organization brought to our community in Jalingo …. The program made me see other benefits that I did not know when practicing as an animal health care person before.”

Umm Abba’s monthly net income before the training was 1.8 USD, after the training she was able to step down the climate-smart poultry production training to 178 women in her community, vaccinating 940 local chickens. Her income immediately increased to a net average of 18 USD monthly thanks to the skills in record keeping, access to vaccines, and visibility the program has given her. She was able to overcome the challenges of being a woman animal health care provider in her community and win the trust of her people. The increase in her income also aided her in contributing to her daughter’s return to school. 

Umm Abba’s story indeed has shown determination, resilience, a possibility of growth, and an extraordinary change both in her personal life and also to the women in her community. 

Like many other women who have benefitted from this program, Umm Abba’s story is one of Inspiring Inclusions and shows that by investing in women, we can accelerate progress.