NACCIMA: FG to increase support for women in agriculture to boost productivity

NACCIMA:  FG to increase support for women in agriculture to boost productivity

Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agricultural, NACCIMA has charged the Federal Government to increase support for women in agriculture to boost  productivity across the agricultural value chain.

The National President, NACCIMA, Ide John Udeagbala, said this at  the Nigerian International Women Entrepreneur Exhibition, NIWEX, 2022 in Lagos.

The event was tagged “Encouraging women in Agriculture and made-in-Nigeria products for economic growth.”

Udeagbala, represented by the Vice President, Mr Kola Akosile, NACCIMA, said the call had become necessary because women still encountered issues such as socio-cultural challenges, which hindered their potential to contribute their quota to agricultural development.

He noted that women constituted about 70 per cent of the workforce in the agricultural sector, making their contributions significant.

He stated that women were involved in diverse processes of the agricultural value chain to ensure that food production, processing and even marketing were made easy, thereby ensuring sustainable delivery of food in the country.

“Agriculture is an important engine for growth and poverty reduction, but the sector seems to be underperforming because women in urban and rural economy face constraints that reduce their productivity.

“In view of these challenges women face in the area of agriculture, production and processing, let me use this medium to encourage our women to intensify their efforts in promoting agricultural production through made-in-Nigeria product,” he said.

Commissioner for Commerce, Industry and Cooperative, Lagos State, Mrs Lola A. Akande, represented by Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Cooperatives, Mrs Adetutu Ososanya, said the event’s theme was right considering the fact that women contributed to the bulk of the population and their roles in feeding families, And the potential to transform the economy if given the right opportunities and encouragement.

Akande said that women needs to be assisted in their roles.  “There is no better time for this programme to come up than now because women must be assisted and encouraged to contribute their quota to economic diversification,” she said.

The Commissioner, Lagos State Ministry of Agriculture, Ms Abisola Olusanya, reiterated Lagos State government’s commitment to alleviating the challenges faced by women in the agricultural sector by giving priority to women in all its projects and initiatives.

She noted that the ministry ensured that at least 40 per cent of beneficiaries in any of its project were women and also made sure that programmes were targeted at training women in off season activities for revenue generation.

“We will continue to encourage active participation of women in the agricultural sector.

“Let me congratulate NACCIMA Business Women group for their unrelenting effort in promoting agriculture in Nigeria and usual collaboration with Lagos State Ministry of Agriculture,” she added.