Ogbeh, others advise young women to invest in agric

 A former Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Chief Audu Ogbeh, has advised young Nigerian women to invest in fruit farming, processing and other areas of agriculture for a better future because white-collar jobs are getting fewer in the country.

Chief Ogbeh, who gave the advice during the launch of Young Women in Agriculture (YWA) Champions in Nigeria in Abuja, said young women can grow fruits, which can put more money in their pockets, adding that some young Nigerian women were already reaping good benefits in banana production in Abuja.

The launch of the Young Women in Agriculture (YWA) Champions in Nigeria was an initiative of the Read and Earn Federation for UNESCO (UNESCO REF), under the Strategic Intervention Programme-ALPHA (SIP-ALPHA) in collaboration with the Nigerian in the Diaspora and with support from Women’s Space USA.

In his remarks, Dr Lateef Olagunju, Secretary General, National Commission for UNESCO Nigeria, noted that although women play a significant role in agricultural production in the country, gender inequality in terms of access to factors of production continue to hamper the nation’s food security efforts.

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Dr Lagunju noted that despite their domestic role, women still contribute about 40% to the agricultural Gross Domestic Product (GDP), adding that effort must be made to strengthen their capacity.

He said inequality in access to fertiliser, finance and other resources is a major constraint against women participation in the sector. He therefore advised the country to borrow a leaf from the South African model, which helped bridge the gender gap in agricultural production.

Also speaking, the CEO of Women’s Space United States, Lady Ogechi Onyeukwu, said investing in her ancestral home was crucial as a Nigerian in the diaspora, adding that strengthening the capacity of women to be more productive in agriculture was critical to poverty eradication.

Lady Onyeukwu noted that agriculture in Africa is facing multiple shocks, from COVID-19 to the Russia-Ukraine war, that has worsened food insecurity, malnutrition, hunger and diseases.

She called on all Nigerians in the diaspora to invest in women in Nigeria to help boost the economy of the country.

The UNESCO REF President, Abdulsalami Ladigbolu, said if women are not empowered, they would not be able to contribute significantly to the development of the nation like their counterparts in other economies.

“The Young Women in Agriculture Initiative is part of our commitment to contribute our quota towards actualizing substantial attainment of the United Nations global goal before or by 2030 with emphasis on goal 2 and we are optimistic that with transformative approaches, past progress could be accelerated, at scale, to put us on track to achieve that goal of strengthening smallholders and women’s livelihood and resilience in Nigeria,” he said.