The Federal Government has urged women farmers in the South-East geo-political zone of Nigeria to embrace sack farming and home gardening to enhance agriculture and food security in the country.
The Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, Dr. Marcus Ogunbiyi, gave the advice on Wednesday in Enugu State, South-East Nigeria.
Ogunbiyi spoke in a keynote address at a workshop to sensitise small scale women farmers and people with special needs in the zone.
He said that the workshop aimed to empower small holder women farmers and people with special needs with the knowledge and skills to cultivate their foods in their backyards.
According to him, sack farming and home gardening innovative approaches could revolutionalise the way foods are produced in Nigeria.
“This method requires minimal space making it ideal for urban and rural dwellers alike.
“By adopting these practices, you will not only improve your household food security, but also contribute to Nigeria’s food sufficiency, ” he said.
Ogunbiyi, whose address was read by Chief Nkannebe Ugochukwu, the Enugu zonal Director, ministry of agriculture and food security, acknowledged the critical role women play in agriculture.
“Women are the backbone of agricultural sector, and their participation are essential to our success.
“We recognise the importance of inclusivity of people with special needs and we are committed to ensuring that our programmes are accessible and beneficial to all.” He said
The permanent secretary said that the programme was part of the First Lady, Sen. Oluremi Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Initiative (RHI), for Women Support Programmes (WASP) and her pet project: “Every Woman a Garden.”
In his goodwill message, Mr Victor Ngwu, Permanent Secretary, Enugu State Ministry of Agriculture, commended the federal ministry of agriculture for holding the programme in the state.
He said that agriculture was one of the priority programmes of the state government and urged participants to take the programme serious.
“I really want to appreciate the federal ministry of agriculture for this programme; all of us have to be serious with agriculture,” he said.
Participants at the one-day workshop, drawn from the five South-Eastern states of Nigeria, expressed appreciation to the organisers, describing the training as an eye-opener.
Highlight of the programme was the distribution of starter packs to the women farmers and the people with special needs.