Attiya Shaukat has transitioned from cultivating vegetables in her garden to overseeing three farming sites, including two in Nigeria.
A British Muslim woman is embarking on an agricultural experiment with a 1.5-acre test farm located on the premises of the largest Islamic convention in the UK.
Attiya Shaukat, aged 43, has moved from cultivating vegetables in her personal garden to managing three farming sites, including two in Nigeria and one in Alton, Hampshire. Her main goal is to disseminate agricultural knowledge to communities in Africa.
Ms. Shaukat, hailing from a South Asian background, explained to the PA news agency, "Rather than going to Africa, we can trial things here and regulate them more, record them, and then implement the trials in a different country."
The test farm is currently experimenting with no-till farming and novel forms of drip irrigation on the grounds of the Jalsa Salana, expecting to host 40,000 Muslims. Additionally, food waste from the convention will be composted for the farm, which is seeking efficient ways to break down waste material in order to share this valuable knowledge with African communities.
Ms. Shaukat, the agricultural secretary for the International Association of Ahmadi Architects and Engineers (IAAAE), emphasizes that sustainability means striving for self-sufficiency, which she believes is crucial in the face of global instability.
She stated, "The world is heading towards disaster, and this is something we can observe even in developed nations where there's no guarantee that our shelves will always be fully stocked, especially after events like Covid and Brexit. It's disheartening to witness children going hungry in a developed country like ours. We need to educate people at all levels on how to grow their own food to reduce their expenses."
The farm is currently cultivating beans, courgettes, carrots, and various green vegetables. Additionally, the farm received 200 strawberry plants as a gift from a nearby plant nursery to commemorate their women's organization's 100 years of formal existence as an auxiliary organization within the Muslim community.
Ms. Shaukat's journey into agriculture began when she started growing vegetables in her garden, inspired by the encouragement of the current caliph of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, Mirza Masroor Ahmad. After 15 years of gardening, she found joy in the process, especially in sharing the produce with her neighbors.
Her work came to the attention of the caliph when she displayed a raised bed of growing produce at a Muslim women's conference in 2019. Impressed by her efforts, the caliph appointed her as the IAAAE agricultural secretary, leading her to manage various farming projects within the organization.
In Nigeria, Ms. Shaukat oversees a 100-acre farm and an 11-acre model farm in the southwestern region. These farms offer local people the opportunity to experiment with different methods of growing produce. Leafy greens such as celosia and amaranth are cultivated on these farms as they are commonly consumed by the locals. The goal is to teach people in the area about sustainable farming practices so they can implement them in their own homes.
"This project was initiated with a humanitarian mission, driven solely by the purpose of providing assistance to all human beings and all forms of life. There is no intention for financial gain; it is purely aimed at offering help and support.
"The caliph emphasized in his recent speech at the IAAAE symposium that it is our duty to aid individuals from every race, religion, and background, including those who have faced violence, poverty, and deprivation. Our ultimate goal is to extend our assistance to all in need."
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