By Sali Ali
A Social Enterprise Group in Nigeria known as Rashak Farms and Agro Allied Limited has provided medical services to 200 women out grower farmers in Hadejia and Mallam Madori Local Governments areas in Jigawa state, Northwest Nigeria.
Although it’s an Agro Allied Organization, the group believed that, a healthy farmer will bring about bountiful harvest to improve food security in the country.
Flagging off the program in Hadejia town the Chief Executive (CEO) Rashak Farms and Agro Allied Limited Rahmah Aderinoye said, the aim of the medical outreach was designed to provide the health needs and improve the overall well-being of the women farmers.
Represented by the Impact and Innovation Manager Adeola Balogun, the CEO noted that, RASHAK through its initiatives has provided the women out growers with input financing and access to markets, enabling them to increase productivity and improve their livelihoods.
“We’re a women-led social enterprise on a mission to impact smallholder farmers, particularly women, youths and people living with disabilities.
Aderinoye explained that, Rashak believed in zero interest input support and a fair trade system that are a simultaneous breaker of the cycle of poverty, perpetuated by loan predators bedeviling the agricultural sustainability in Nigeria.
“For over 8 years, we’ve impacted the lives of over 9,500 smallholder farmers, equipping them with climate-resilient inputs, essential training, and access to processing, warehousing, and fair trade markets.”
The Jigawa state RASHAK Coordinator Ahmad Nagwamitse informed the women farmers to expect more support from Rashak and be ready to expand the farming business.
The Communications Manager Rashak Farms and Agro Allied Limited Mohammed Isa who under scored the relevance of the medical outreach said, the group had trained and supported the 200 women beneficiaries in order to build their economic fortunes.
Dr. Mohammed Kaseem who delivered a health talk on the women farmers informed them of the significance of constant health check on their lives.
He identified high blood pressure as a silence killer which if not detected early will result to sudden death of an individual.
He said, “we have realized that, some of them are having high blood pressure, Suger issue and they don’t know. So we have counselled them, give little and prescribed drugs for them.”
Some of the women interviewed expressed gratitudes to Rashak Farms and Agro Allied Limited for the medical outreach.