By Aliyu Bala Gerengi, Gombe
Residents of the Libiya community in Gombe metropolis have joined the global community to mark World Food Day, with a training programme aimed at promoting food security, healthy living and household food production.
The event, held at the residence of the Ward Head of Libya along Old GRA Bypass Road Gombe, Malam Isah Muhammad Malam Sidi, brought together women, community leaders and development stakeholders to raise awareness about nutritious food preparation, food processing and home gardening.
Speaking through her deputy, Mrs. Rahab Maina Lah, the Commissioner of the Women Community in Africa (WCA), Mrs. Ruth Abner, congratulated residents on the occasion and commended humanitarian organisations and partners for supporting the initiative.
Abner described the programme as a collective effort and urged WCA, Voice of Women, Adamu Yola Foundation and women leaders in Libiya to strengthen their collaboration to promote community development.
She also encouraged participants to take the training seriously and share the knowledge acquired with women who were unable to attend.
The commissioner said the year’s theme emphasised the need to take action today to ensure food availability in the future, adding that unity and collective responsibility were essential to addressing hunger and hardship in society.
As part of the programme, Ikilima Abdulkareem Fatima, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Ekfat Global Nigeria Limited, and Dr. Leah Iliya Jalo, Sponsorship and Partnership Coordinator at WCA, trained participants in processing maize, rice, beans and millet into nutritious meals.
The training focused on preparing foods that support good health and help improve blood levels, while promoting household nutrition and disease prevention, particularly during the harmattan season.
The facilitators also introduced participants to modern techniques for cultivating potatoes and vegetables at home, highlighting the potential of household gardening to improve access to fresh food and strengthen family food security.
In a separate presentation, the programme’s Legal Adviser, Barrister Bulus Maori, stressed the importance of peaceful coexistence as a prerequisite for sustainable community development.
He said the absence of peace could undermine family life and hinder progress, while peaceful coexistence encourages tolerance and understanding among people of different religious backgrounds.
Maori urged residents to reject tribalism and selfishness, calling for greater unity and mutual understanding within the community.
Speaking on behalf of the beneficiaries, Binanina Bahaushe thanked WCA for organising the training, describing it as timely and beneficial to women and their families.
She pledged that participants would apply the skills acquired in their homes and share the knowledge with other women who could not attend the event.
The Ward Head, Malam Isah Muhammad Malam Sidi, also expressed appreciation to the WCA for selecting the Libiya community to host the celebration.
He thanked the organisers and other guests for their participation and prayed for their safe return home.
The programme highlighted the importance of nutrition education, practical food-processing skills, household gardening and peaceful coexistence in supporting healthier families and sustainable community development.
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