IWD: Niger State Ministry of Agriculture committed to empowering women in agriculture.
By Our Correspondent.
Niger State of Agriculture has reaffirmed its commitment to empowering women in agriculture, emphasising their importance in driving progress and development in the society.
Niger State Commissioner of Agriculture, Hon. Musa Salihu Bawa Bosso, stated this at a ceremony marking International Women’s Day in Minna on Wednesday.
The theme of the event was “Empowering Women in Agriculture: Cultivating Resilience Innovation and Leadership organised by the ministry in collaboration AGRA),ThriveAgric and Synergos.
Bawa who was represented by Dr Matthew Ahmed, Permanent Secretary of Niger State Ministry of Agriculture, said that women have a great multiplying effect on changing the narrative, even in the agricultural space.
“We are here to celebrate women and let the world know that women are important. If you want the society to progress, you need women.
“That’s why we are here today, to promote women’s inclusive participation in agriculture, to practice agriculture on a large scale, and to engage in agro-business,” he said.
The commissioner identified challenges women face in the agricultural space, including access to land, finance, and technology.
“We are here to discuss these challenges and proffer solutions, We want to dialogue with women and let them know that they are key players in the agricultural space,” he added.
Bawa disclosed that the state government has initiated various empowerment programmes for women in agriculture.
According to him, in every capacity-building programme we undertake, we ensure that 70 per cent of the beneficiaries are women, while 30 per cent are men.
“We are also providing women with small farm machineries that are women-friendly, to enable them to engage in crop production and animal husbandry,” he said.
The commissioner emphasised that the ultimate goal of the empowerment programmes is to make women self-reliant and improve their income levels.
Earlier in his welcome remarks, Malam Adamu Garba Maikasuwa, Director of Agric Services and Leakage at the Ministry of Agriculture, emphasised the importance of recognizing women’s contributions to agriculture.
“Women are the backbone of our food system, and it’s essential we celebrate their power, resilience, and contributions,” he said.
Also speaking, Mrs Grace Disa, State Coordinator of the Small Scale Women Farmers Organization in Nigeria (SWOFON), commended the ministry for acknowledging women’s efforts in agriculture.
Hajiya Hadiza Sheru, Permanent Secretary of the Niger Ministry for Women Affairs and Social Development, appreciated the ministry’s collaboration with women, stating that women are crucial to food security.
In her presentation, Prof. Abigael Jirgi from the Federal University of Technology (FUT) Minna presented a paper titled “Empowering Women in Agriculture, Cultivating Resilience Innovation and Leadership.
She highlighted the significance of women’s roles in agriculture globally, citing that women make up about 70 to 80 per cent of the agricultural labor force in Nigeria.
The event also featured a panel discussion on “breaking barriers: women’s role in transforming agriculture with panelists discussing systemic challenges and solutions to empower women in agriculture.
