Across Nasarawa State, a quiet revolution is taking root. Young Leaders Network's Youth Climate Action Fellows are not waiting for policy change to address food insecurity and environmental degradation — they are building the solutions themselves, one greenhouse and one community at a time.
The Climate Justice Boot Camp, which kicked off the fellowship programme in Nasarawa, gave fellows the technical knowledge and practical tools to launch climate-smart agriculture projects in their communities. From greenhouse vegetable production to organic composting and tree nursery management, fellows are applying what they learned directly in their neighbourhoods.
Fatima, a fellow from Lafia, set up a small greenhouse in her family's compound with support from the programme. She now grows vegetables year-round, sells the surplus to neighbours, and trains other young women in her area on greenhouse maintenance. 'Before the fellowship, I didn't think I could solve problems in my community. Now I know I can.'
“Before the fellowship, I didn't think I could solve problems in my community. Now I know I can.”
The seedlings and nursery setup initiative — documented across both Bauchi and Nasarawa — has produced thousands of trees now being planted in schools, community spaces, and degraded farmland. Each tree planted is tracked and reported back to the fellowship network.
The broader lesson from this work: climate action doesn't have to wait for government. When young people are equipped with knowledge, tools, and peer networks, they become the first responders to climate vulnerability in their own communities.
Related Programme
Youth Climate Action Fellowship — Climate Impact