Minister of Women Affairs, Barrister Uju Ohaneye at 2023 International Day for Rural Women.

.As FG targets 26,000 tons of high-breed rice seeds to rural women

First Lady, Oluremi Tinubu, has said that she will be distributing mechanised farm tools worth N151 million to rural women as support to ease difficulty in farming.
Minister of Women Affairs, Barrister Uju Ohaneye, who spoke on behalf of the First Lady, said the support will reduce the labour burden of rural women as that will help them to have more farm produce.

The minister made the disclosure during a briefing in commemoration of the 2023 International Day for Rural Women themed “Rural Women Confront the Global Cost-of-living crisis,” in Abuja.

She said the ministry has also made plans to to distribute 26,000 tons of high breed rice from China to rural women to cut down the cost of rice.

According to her, “26,000 tons of high breed rice from Chinese will be distributed to rural women. This rice produces double within 3 months and this is aimed at cutting down the cost of rice”.

Urging women and other stakeholders to to support the farmers especially women farmers with tools to reduce the labour burden, Ohaneye said this will boost crop yields.

Acting Permanent Secretary of the ministry of Women Affair Idris Muhammed noted earlier the significance of the international rural as a global effort to showcase women at the grassroots and boost their means of livelihood mainly agriculture in order to eradicate poverty.

He said “Available evidence points to the fact that in the world over, women play a vital role in the rural economy. They are involved in crop production and livestock care, provide food, water and fuel for their families, and carry out other activities to diversify their family’s livelihoods. Rural women are active agents of economic, social change and environmental protection”.

Muhammed who also spoke on the theme of this year’s World Food Day, “Water is Life, Water is Food; Leave No One Behind”, said the two themes stress that production and consumption of safe food and water have immediate and long-term benefits for the people, the planet, and the economy.

“The various clashes in Nigeria have also exposed the vulnerability of food system to major shocks and the need for rural women to be economically empowered for self-determination,” he adds.