The Federal Government of Nigeria and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) have launched the Nigeria Agriculture Gender Network (NAGN) to promote and empower women in agriculture.
At the launch in Abuja, the National Programme Coordinator, FG/IFAD Value Chain Development Programme (VCDP), Mr Garba Bala, said the NAGN is a national network designed to enhance knowledge sharing, promote experience and information exchange among donor-funded agriculture/rural development programmes in Nigeria in respect to women, youth and other vulnerable groups.
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According to him, the aim of the Network was to provide peer support structure, learning and experience sharing opportunities among donor-supported agricultural projects in the country.
“The VCDP acknowledges the collective efforts that different donor programmes and development partners in the country are making towards the uplifting of women and girls, hence we saw the need to establish a gender network tagged Nigeria Agriculture Gender Network (NAGN), in partnership with other donor programmes, for knowledge and experience sharing, support enabling policy and regulatory environment for investments in advancing gender equality and empowerment of women , youth and other vulnerable groups, for a transformative development Agenda within the context of agriculture and rural development,” he said.
The Director Project Coordinating Unit, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr Bright Wategireat, said the launch was in line with the National Gender Policy in Agriculture launched in 2019 by the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Alhaji Muhammad Sabo Nanono.
