The First Lady of Nigeria, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, has reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to empowering women farmers and strengthening food security nationwide.
She gave the assurance at the graduation and empowerment ceremony of women farmers under the National Workshop on Agro-Value Chain Capacity Building for Women Farmers, held in Pyakasa, Lugbe, Abuja.
Represented by Hajiya Nana Shettima, wife of the Vice President, the First Lady commended the Minister of Women Affairs, Hajiya Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, and her team for driving the initiative in partnership with the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC).
“As mothers, nurturers, and nation builders, women farmers form the backbone of food security and rural development in our country,” she said. “By equipping them with knowledge, skills, and access to modern agricultural practices, we can increase food production, improve nutrition, and boost our economy.”
She noted that the programme aligns with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, particularly the drive to enhance agriculture and food security. She also praised the President’s recent ban on shea butter nut exports, saying it would directly benefit rural women who account for 95% of local processors.
Declaring the workshop closed, Senator Tinubu urged beneficiaries to apply their new skills not just to feed their families but to access global markets and expand Nigeria’s agricultural value chain.
In her closing remarks, the Minister of Women Affairs, Hajiya Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, stressed the pivotal role of women in Nigeria’s agricultural transformation.
“Women constitute nearly 70% of the agricultural labour force, yet less than 14% have secure land rights and only about 10% can access credit,” she said. “Addressing these barriers is a matter of national security and smart economics.”
She highlighted the Women Agro-Value Expansion (WAVE) Programme, which targets 10 million women nationwide with climate-smart technologies, agribusiness training, affordable financing, and access to markets.
The Minister thanked President Tinubu for prioritising women in his agricultural agenda, the First Lady for her consistent advocacy, and partners such as the OIC and MCC for their support.
The event, held at the WAVE x MCC Agriculture Demonstration Centre, Abuja Technology Village, gathered women farmers, cooperatives, policymakers, and development partners. It featured training on modern farming techniques, financing, and value-chain opportunities, preparing the graduates to boost food production and rural economies across Nigeria.
ADEOLA KUNLE
