In commemoration of the International Day of Women and Young Girls in Agricultural Science, HortiNigeria in collaboration with the SouthWest Association of Vegetable Farmers and Sellers (SWAVFS) has empowered 1,000 women vegetable farmers in Ogun State.
HortiNigeria’s Innovation and Regional Diversification Lead, Olabisi Ilebami while speaking at Imasayi, Ogun State, stated that the event marks the launch of their partnership and the facilitation of targeted interventions aimed at empowering the next generation of women and girls in agricultural science.
She said the international day, under the theme: “Empowering the Next Generation,” is aimed at enlightening, engaging women and young girls, as well as encouraging their participation in agric.
Ilebami said: “Our collaboration is strategically designed to empower entrepreneurial horticulture farmers, most especially youth and women in the southern regions by providing access to improved Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs) in vegetable production and enhancing marketing opportunities.”
Inclusive Entrepreneurial Assistant at HortiNigeria, Benedict Ukpukpen, emphasised the importance of including youth and women in driving sustainable change in the sector, “Through our collaboration with SWAVFS, we are committed to developing tailor-made initiatives that tackle the existing challenges in the sector. Providing platforms to amplify their voices and support their contributions is vital for the betterment of the next generation.”
The Secretary of SWAVFS, Boluwatife Maybee, highlighted the event’s role in fostering dialogue, empowerment, and inspiration among participants, as the initiative aims to showcase eco-efficient production innovations, making farming an attractive and profitable venture.
HortiNigeria is a four-year initiative (2021-2025) funded by the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Nigeria. It is implemented by a consortium that includes the International Fertiliser Development Centre (IFDC), East-West Seed Knowledge Transfer (EWS-KT), Wageningen University and Research (WUR), and KIT Royal Tropical Institute.
The programme aims to enhance food security in line with both Dutch and Nigerian objectives. Since November 2021, HortiNigeria has launched several projects across Kaduna, Kano, Ogun, and Oyo states, spanning seven value chains within the horticulture sector – cabbage, cucumber, okra, onions, pepper, sweetcorn, tomatoes, and watermelon.
These initiatives focus on increasing the productivity and income of 60,000 smallholder farmers (40 per cent women and 50 per cent youth), piloting innovative technologies, facilitating access to finance for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs), and improving sector coordination and business linkages.
