ActionAid in collaboration with the Federal Government has organised a One- Day South-East Zonal Consultative Forum for the Review of National Gender Policy in Agriculture for Nigeria and Its Strategic plan of Action (2025 – 2030) calling for inclusiveness of men, women ,young people and persons with disabilities (PWDs)
Speaking at the consultation forum on Friday in Enugu, the Director of Special Duties in Federal Ministry of Agriculture and food security , Mrs Kachallah Damaturu, said inclusivity of men, women, young people and People with Disabilities (PWDs) will be the backbone of the ministry’ entire processes and value-chain of agriculture.
She said the forum was held in South-East in order to give voices to women, youth and PWDs as well as factor their special needs and their buy-in into the national plan of action for agriculture.
Mrs Damaturu said the ministry will not leave any segment of the society behind as agriculture work well when there is a robust inclusion of all.
“I want to acknowledge President Ahmed Tinubu, who has shown vital interest in the agriculture sector, especially in the areas affecting women.
“The President, during the Women Affair’s Ministry programme on Oct. 15, 2024, reiterated that women empowerment in agriculture should be given priority especially in agricultural training, access to land and financial services,” she said.
The director said the ministry expanded the participants beyond the women, youth and PWDs as well as involved commissioners, permanent secretaries and directors at the states in the South-East to ensure that everybody gets involved and in-puts collated.
Pix: Mrs Damaturu
Speaking, the Food and Agriculture Advisor of Actionaid, Blessing Akhile, said that the forum was meant to promote equity and productivity. She added that it would help to shape the resilience of the total agricultural system.
Akhile, whose Actionaid Chairs the steering Committee on the Review of the National Gender Policy, said when everybody become on board, it would lead to poverty reduction, food security and resilience food system.
“Actionaid appreciates the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, Alliance for Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA), the German International Support (GIZ) and others for their support and contribution to ensure the consultation will be successful.
“The forum today will ensure that all requirements of various segments of the society is catered for and to ensure a robust inclusivity,” she said.
On her part, the Programme Officer of AGRA in Nigeria, Dr Esther Ibrahim, said that agriculture remained the backbone of African’s economy and it employs millions of people in the continent.
Ibrahim said that the vast population of Africa farmers are women and youths, adding that AGRA’s policy and action plan had continued to provide systematic support to women and youth farmers.
She said AGRA through its strategic system has continued to remove barriers militating against women and youths in agriculture and we are here to support the move of the ministry and her partners.
Declaring the forum open, the Commissioner for Agriculture and Agro-Industrialisation in Enugu State, Patrick Ubru, said Enugu State had made it mandatory to have 70 per cent of women and youth in all its agricultural progammes and had been represented robustly in all agricultural programmes and value-change in the state.
He commended Gov. Peter Mbah, the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security and her partners for their continuous support to agriculture, creating jobs and food production as well as inclusivity of all.
In his remarks, the State Commissioner for Youth and Sports, Llyord Ekweremadu said the his ministry has been working with the ministry of Agriculture and young farmers were carried along in Agricultural development.
According to him, an executive bill for youth development in Enugu state has been passed into law.
Author ‘Maureen Ikpeama