Stakeholders have called for urgent climate-friendly interventions to protect women in the informal baking sector of Northern Nigeria, particularly those producing Gurasa, a local bread and a special delicacy in the region.
This came amid rising heat stress, indoor air pollution, and economic insecurity in the North.
The stakeholders made the call at the premiere of a 15-minute documentary, Yan Gurasa, in Kano, organised by the Muryarta Araya Muhalli Project.
They cautioned that the current mode of production contributes to water contamination, soil degradation, and air pollution, while rising demand for grains may fuel deforestation.
The film highlights the health and livelihood challenges faced by women who bake gurasa under extreme heat conditions, while showcasing women-led climate action and resilience efforts across the region.
At the heart of this documentary is 45-year-old Rakiya Isah, a second-generation gurasa baker in Kano who, for 25 years, has continued the legacy passed down by her late mother, Aisha, famously known as Yar Saurata Mai Gurasa, who baked for over five decades before dying from heat-induced complications and high blood pressure.
The documentary provides vital context on how rising temperatures and a lack of adaptive support exacerbate women’s vulnerabilities in informal sectors, as well as what policy pathways could change that reality.
Speaking at the premiere, Acting Programme Manager for Gender Justice at Oxfam Nigeria, Ifeoluwa Gholahan, said many women do not realise that their traditional bread-making practices contribute to climate problems.
“Because it is a long-standing cultural trade, especially among young women in Northern Nigeria, they do not see it as a climate issue. There is a need to sensitise them on cleaner, energy-efficient ways of baking and provide sustainable alternatives,” Gholahan said.
Project sponsor Zainab Bala noted that the documentary reveals more than just the art of baking.
“When you hear Yan Gurasa, you might think it is just about baking bread. But it is also about the health challenges and climate impacts that come with it,” she said.
She said the organisation is pushing for climate justice by working with the media, international partners, and NGOs to shape better narratives.
On her part, climate advocate Hadiza Shettima warned that smoke emissions from traditional gurasa ovens release harmful greenhouse gases.
She observed that with continuous awareness, “we can show them how these activities negatively affect their health and the environment.”
Commissioner at the Kano State Ministry of Environment and Climate Change, Dahir Hashim, called for policy reforms to provide safer working conditions and sustainable production methods.
