Participatory Environmental Empowerment for Climate Resilience of Women in Buzi Community, Karu Local Government Area, Nasarawa State, Nigeria

Abstract

Women play a critical role in environmental management and climate adaptation in rural communities, yet they remain disproportionately vulnerable to environmental degradation, climate-related risks, and limited economic opportunities. This study evaluates the impact of a community-based climate resilience and environmental empowerment intervention implemented among 45 women in Buzi Community, Karu Local Government Area, Nasarawa State, Nigeria. Using a Participatory Action Research (PAR) approach, the six-month intervention combined climate change education, waste management awareness, indigenous tree planting, organic soap production training, entrepreneurship development, and a ₦500,000 Community Revolving Fund (CRF) to support sustainable livelihood activities. Baseline findings showed that 60.0% of participants had only primary or no formal education, highlighting significant socio-economic vulnerability. Following the intervention, participants demonstrated improved environmental awareness, enhanced waste management practices, and increased understanding of climate change adaptation and ecosystem restoration. The indigenous tree-planting campaign strengthened community participation in environmental conservation, while the establishment of eight organic soap-production clusters promoted green entrepreneurship and livelihood diversification. Access to the revolving fund significantly improved economic opportunities, resulting in a 234.8% increase in average monthly discretionary income, from ₦5,600 to ₦18,750 (p < 0.001). The revolving fund recorded a 100% loan repayment rate through a peer-guarantee accountability mechanism, demonstrating strong community ownership and sustainability. The findings indicate that integrating environmental education, climate action, green enterprise development, and community-based financing mechanisms can simultaneously enhance climate resilience, environmental stewardship, and women's economic empowerment. The study concludes that linking environmental knowledge with practical livelihood incentives creates a self-reinforcing pathway for sustainable development and offers a promising model for gender-responsive climate adaptation in vulnerable rural communities. However, because the evidence comes from a single community, a sample of 45 women and a six-month monitoring period, the findings should be regarded as preliminary, and the model requires testing across more communities and over a longer period before it can be considered scalable across Nigeria and sub-Saharan Africa.