The Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security has stated that inclusivity of gender, youth, and People with Disabilities (PWDs) will be the basis of the ministry’s entire processes and value chain in agriculture.
The Director of Special Duties in the Ministry, Mrs Kachallah Damaturu, said this during 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).
Damaturu explained that the forum was held in the South-East to give voice to women, youths, and PWDs, as well as to consider their special needs and secure their support for the national plan of action for agriculture.
She said the ministry would not leave any segment of society behind, as agricultural work would prosper when there was inclusivity of all genders.
“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 Affairs 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 stated
Additionally, Blessing Akhile, the Food and Agriculture Advisor at ActionAid, noted that the forum aimed to promote equity and productivity, emphasising that it would help shape the resilience of the agricultural system.
Akhile, whose Actionaid chairs the steering Committee on the Review of the National Gender Policy, said that when everybody comes on board, it would lead to poverty reduction, food security and a resilient 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 society are catered to and ensure a robust inclusivity,” he said.
Collaborating, the Programme Officer of AGRA in Nigeria, Dr Esther Ibrahim, said that agriculture remains the backbone of Africa’s economy, stressing that it employs millions of people on the continent.
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Ibrahim said that the vast population of African farmers are women and youths, adding that AGRA’s policy and action plan had continued to provide systematic support to women and youth farmers.
According to her, AGRA, through its strategic system, has continued to remove barriers that militate against women and youths in agriculture, and we are here to support the ministry’s initiative and her partners.
Enugu State Commissioner for Agriculture and Agro-Industrialisation, Mr Patrick Ubru, said that Enugu State had made it mandatory to have 70 per cent of women and youths in all its agricultural programmes.
Ubru also stated that women and youths had been effectively represented in all agricultural programmes and value chains in the state.
He commended Governor Peter Mbah, the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, and their partners for their continuous support to agriculture, which creates jobs and promotes food production, as well as their inclusivity of all.
