Residents of Maiyanga and Butura Kampani communities in Bokkos Local Government Area of Plateau State on Tuesday celebrated improved livelihoods and environmental sustainability as the Rural Development Counsellors for Christian Churches in Africa (RURCON) formally concluded a year-long climate-smart agriculture project implemented in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) through the Global Environment Facility Small Grants Programme (GEF-SGP).
The project close-out ceremony, held at the COCIN Church Hall in Maiyanga, marked the successful completion of the initiative titled “Strengthening the Capacity of Small-Scale Farmers on Agro-Ecological Farming Techniques in Maiyanga and Butura Kampani, Bokkos LGA, Plateau State.” The intervention sought to strengthen the capacity of small-scale farmers while addressing soil degradation, over-reliance on chemical farm inputs, deforestation, indoor air pollution and declining agricultural productivity.
Funded by the UNDP Global Environment Facility Small Grants Programme and implemented by RURCON, the project equipped farmers with practical skills in compost production, liquid fertilizer preparation, organic pest control, tree planting and the construction of energy-efficient cooking stoves using locally available materials. It also supported households with improved maize and Irish potato seedlings, avocado trees and other climate-smart farming technologies aimed at improving food security and environmental conservation. 
Speaking at the ceremony, RURCON Executive Director, Dinatu Ayinzat, said the intervention was designed to empower communities to rebuild sustainable livelihoods rather than depend on temporary assistance.
She explained that Maiyanga and Butura Kampani were selected because of the devastating attacks that affected the communities, leaving many families without homes, farms and sources of livelihood.
“Our essence was to empower you to help yourselves,” she said.
“We sought to build your capacity rather than just give handouts because handouts eventually finish. Since these are agrarian communities, we equipped farmers with practical skills that would reduce production costs while improving their livelihoods.”
Ayinzat noted that beneficiaries were trained to produce compost manure, liquid fertilizer and bio-pesticides using materials readily available within their communities, thereby reducing dependence on increasingly expensive chemical fertilizers.
She added that the project also promoted environmental restoration through the distribution of avocado seedlings and the construction of energy-saving stoves that reduce firewood consumption, shorten cooking time and eliminate smoke from kitchens.
According to her, one of the greatest achievements of the project is that beneficiaries have embraced the knowledge and are already teaching neighbouring communities.
The ceremony also featured traditional cultural performance by members of the host communities, followed by the screening of a documentary highlighting the project’s activities and successes over the past year.
Several beneficiaries shared testimonies on how the intervention had transformed their farming activities and household economy.
Village Head of Butura Kampani, Nuhu Bitrus Yakwen, said the project had taught farmers the importance of tree planting, compost production, organic fertilizers and energy-saving stoves, adding that the innovations had significantly improved farming while reducing health risks associated with smoke-filled kitchens.
He pledged to continue sharing the knowledge with neighbouring communities. 
Machief Mandik Mangut of Maiyanga, whose family lost their home and livelihood during the attacks on the community, described the intervention as life-changing.
According to him, the training enabled him to return to farming using compost manure, organic pest control and liquid fertilizer, resulting in healthier crops while reducing dependence on chemical inputs.
Another beneficiary, Linda Momot, said she initially doubted the effectiveness of the energy-saving stove until she successfully cooked four mudu of beans using very little firewood.
Anna Joel, a widow from Maiyanga, disclosed that the stove reduced her weekly firewood expenses from ₦10,000 to ₦2,000, saving her about ₦32,000 monthly while providing a cleaner and healthier cooking environment.
Community impact stories documented during the project also showed that farmers have reduced their dependence on chemical fertilizers, improved crop yields and increased household income through climate-smart agricultural practices.
Representing the United Nations Development Programme, Dr. Matthew Habila commended RURCON for effectively connecting the organisation with the beneficiary communities.
He said the testimonies and field evidence demonstrated that the knowledge transferred during the project was already producing measurable results.
“The goal of the United Nations Development Programme is to improve livelihoods sustainably,” he said, urging beneficiaries to continue applying the skills acquired long after the funding cycle has ended.
Habila also encouraged residents to nurture the avocado trees distributed during the project, noting that the economic trees would contribute to both environmental restoration and household income generation.
Representing the Plateau State Commissioner for Environment, Climate Change and Environmental Development, Director of Environmental Assessment and Climate Change, Martha Danuk, praised the initiative for complementing government efforts to address climate change.
She urged residents to protect the trees distributed under the project and continue using energy-efficient cooking stoves to reduce deforestation and carbon emissions.
Danuk assured participants that the ministry would continue partnering with organisations implementing similar community-based environmental projects while monitoring the sustainability of such interventions.
Dorcas Mangbar, representing ACET Nigeria, commended RURCON for successfully implementing the project and maintaining the confidence reposed in the organisation by its partners.
She encouraged beneficiaries and community leaders to sustain the gains of the intervention by sharing the acquired knowledge and ensuring the environmental and agricultural innovations continue to benefit future generations.
Also speaking, the Saf Mandar, Da Amos Jallang, who represented the traditional council, expressed appreciation to RURCON, UNDP and other partners for investing in the development of the communities.
He described knowledge as a lasting gift and urged residents to embrace the new farming methods while remaining united and security conscious.
The ceremony concluded with an exhibition tour during which dignitaries visited beneficiaries’ homes and farms to inspect the energy-saving stoves, organic compost, locally produced fertilizers and bio-pesticides, thriving maize and Irish potato farms, and avocado trees planted under the project.
For many residents, the close-out ceremony represented not the end of an intervention but the beginning of a more sustainable approach to farming and environmental management, with participants expressing confidence that the knowledge gained would continue to spread across neighbouring communities long after the project’s completion.