The Federal Government of Nigeria and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) have underscored the urgent need to invest in rural women, particularly in the agricultural sector, to drive inclusive and sustainable agri-food systems. This call was made during the 2024 International Day of Rural Women Summit, held on October 15 at the African Union (AU) offices in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.<\/p>\n
This was revealed in a statement released on Thursday by Mrs. Vera Onyeaka-Onyilo, the Knowledge Management and Communications Coordinator for the IFAD-Value Chain Development Program.<\/p>\n
Key players devoted to empowering women in agriculture came together for the event, which took place on October 15 at the African Union offices in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.<\/p>\n
“Empowering Women Living in Rural Areas through Education and Access to Technology: Bridging the Gap for Inclusive and Sustainable Agri-Food Systems in Africa” was the theme of the summit, which was organized by the African Union and development partners.<\/p>\n
The significance of educational programs was emphasized by Mrs. Patricia Achii, a panelist from the FGN\/IFAD-Assisted Value Chain Development Program.<\/p>\n
\u201cWith the support of VCDP, I established an adult literacy training centre for women in my community, and about 1,000 women have graduated from this literacy class,\u201d Achii stated.<\/p>\n
She pointed out that these women are now able to run their farming operations as enterprises, which supports the notion that access to education and technology is essential.<\/p>\n
Similarly, Mrs. Temilade Ebiware, a recipient of the IFAD-Livelihood Improvement Family Enterprises Niger-Delta program, talked about her aquaculture achievement.<\/p>\n
\u201cCapacity building by LIFE-ND on climate-smart agriculture has equipped me with the knowledge to adapt to climate change in my business,\u201d she remarked during her panel discussion.<\/p>\n
Mrs. Dede Ekoue, the Country Director of IFAD Nigeria, emphasized the organization’s work to help smallholders, especially women in rural areas, boost their incomes and gain access to markets.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are promoting key initiatives such as the Gender Action Learning Systems to achieve a more equitable balance in workloads and sharing of economic benefits between women and men,\u201d Ekoue explained.<\/p>\n
“The GALS methodology has enabled women to have a voice in their homes and communities,” she continued.<\/p>\n
Ambassador Josefa Sacko, the African Union’s Commissioner for Agriculture, Rural Development, Blue Economy, and Sustainable Environment, also attended the ceremony.<\/p>\n
“Despite these contributions, they face considerable barriers, including limited access to education, productive resources, and political representation,” she said, highlighting the critical role that women play in Africa’s agricultural environment.<\/p>\n
In order to inform the creation of the Platform for African Women in Agriculture, Sacko reaffirmed the AU’s commitment to collaborating with stakeholders to create a comprehensive policy framework for women in agriculture.<\/p>\n
A call-to-action roadmap and a marketplace exhibition featuring best practices from IFAD projects and other participants marked the summit’s conclusion.<\/p>\n
Vera Onyeaka-Onyilo went on to say that this platform encouraged networking between strategic actors and rural women, encouraging the sharing of best practices to empower women and youth for better incomes and sustained food security.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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