Worried over the current food inflation ravaging the country, the Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA) has called on the federal government and stakeholders in the industry to increase the support given to women in agriculture in the country.
Indeed, women still have issues such as social cultural challenges hindering their potentials to contribute their quota into agricultural development.
The National president, NACCIMA, Ide John Udeagbala, represented by the Vice president, NACCIMA, Kola Akosile at the Nigerian International Women Entrepreneur Exhibition (NIWEX) 2022 tagged “Encouraging women in Agriculture and made-in-Nigeria products for economic growth” said women constitute about 70 per cent of the workforce in the agricultural sector which makes their contributions extremely significant and rare, stressing that they are involved in diverse processes of the agricultural value chain to ensure that food production, processing and even marketing is made easy thereby ensuring sustainable delivery of food in the country.
“As agriculture is an important engine for growth and poverty reduction, the sector seems to be underperforming because women in urban and rural economy face constraint that reduces economic productivity. Although, it is true that women are filling important positions in the sector, there is still massive visibility in the agricultural Index gap that spreads across the State and the country at large,” he added.
“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 as inscribed in this year’s theme, ‘encouraging women in Agriculture and made in Nigeria products for economic growth”, he urged.
Also speaking, the Commissioner for Commerce, Industry and Cooperative, Lagos State, Mrs. Lola Akande, represented by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Cooperatives, Mrs. Adetutu Ososanya, said women have the potentials to transform the economy if given the right opportunities and encouragement.
She commended the NACCIMA Business Women Group (NAWORG) for the exceptional role being played in coordinating the efforts of women in the chamber, Lagos State and the country at large.
She said the theme of the exhibition is apt considering the fact that women contribute to bulk of the population and their roles in feeding families.
“There is no better time for this programme to come up rather than now. This is because women must be assisted and encouraged to contribute their quota to economic diversification.
The Commissioner, Lagos State Ministry of Agriculture Ms Abisola Olusanya, said the Lagos State Government is commited to alleviating the challenges faced by women in the agricultural sector by giving priority to women in all its projects and initiatives.
She stressed that the Ministry ensures that at least 40 per cenr of beneficiaries in any project are women and also programs be targeted at training women in off season activities for revenue generation.
“We will continue to encourage active participation of women in the agricultural sector,” she assured.
“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.
