Niger State Govt. reaffirms commitment to empower women in agriculture

The Niger state government has reaffirmed its commitment towards empowering women to play active roles in agriculture and food production.

Musa Bawa, the Commissioner for Agriculture, made the expression at a ceremony to mark the 2025 International Women’s Day celebration in Minna on Wednesday.

The theme of the event is: “Empowering Women in Agriculture: Cultivating Resilience, Innovation and Leadership”

Represented by Dr Matthew Ahmed, the Permanent Secretary, Bawa said that women possessed great potential to change the narrative if given adequate support.

He said that women’s roles were critical to driving the needed growth in agriculture and development of the society at large.

“We are here to celebrate women and to inform the world that women are important. If you want the society to progress, you need women.

“We are here to promote women’s inclusive participation in agriculture, to practice agriculture on a large scale, and to engage in agro-business,” he said.

The commissioner listed access to land, finance and technology among others, as the major challenges faced by women in agriculture.

“We are here to discuss these challenges and proffer solutions. Women must know that they are key players in the agriculture sector” he added.

Bawa further said that the state government had implemented a variety of empowerment programmes for women in agriculture.

“We are providing small farm machineries that are women-friendly, this will enable women farmers to engage in crop production and animal husbandry.

“The ultimate goal of these empowerment programmes is to make women self-reliant and economically empowered,” he said.

Earlier, Malam Adamu Garba-Maikasuwa, the Director, Agric Services and Leakage, said that it was highly reasonable and productive to empower women to participate in agriculture.

“Women are the backbone of our food system, and it is essential to celebrate their power, resilience and contributions to the society,” he said.

Also speaking, Mrs Grace Disa, the State Coordinator, Small Scale Women Farmers Organisation in Nigeria, commended the ministry for acknowledging women’s efforts in agriculture.

Hajiya Hadiza Sheru, the Permanent Secretary, the state Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development, described women’s roles in food production as ‘critical and important’

The Guest Lecturer, Prof. Abigael Jirgi, said that women accounted for between 70 and 80 per cent of Nigeria’s agriculture labour force.

Jirgi, a lecturer in the Federal University of Technology, Minna, said that women played significant roles in agriculture and food production globally.

NAN / Foluke Ibitomi