Food security: FG partners UN to establish digital platform for women farmers

The federal government says it would collaborate with the United Nations (UN) Women on its digital agricultural platform in order to maximise its advantages for rural women farmers in Nigeria.

Pauline Tallen, minister of women affairs, made the announcement in a statement on Wednesday, while receiving Beatrice Eyong, UN Women’s country representative to Nigeria.

Part of the UN Women’s digital farming initiatives includes a data-driven, enterprise platform that combines an open source end-to-end cloud-based, and mobile-enabled supply chain system to connect women farmers to information, finance, and markets.

The innovation enables women farmers to have a 360-degree view of the entire business lifecycle and provides equipment to help farmers avoid distress selling, receive higher prices, and reduce post-harvest losses.

Tallen said the digital platform aligns with the ministry’s World Bank-assisted project on women’s economic empowerment known as “Nigeria for Women Project (NFWP)”.

She said poverty was the biggest issue facing women and urged the government and other stakeholders to give it a priority and direct resources toward resolving it.

“If the government could focus more on empowering women, it will not only change the lives of women alone but jump-start the economy,” she said.

“More resources should be devoted to women empowerment projects. Once a woman is empowered, the home and lifestyle of her family will change, and the nation will be healthier and better off.”

On her part, Eyong said the digital platform will improve the economic and financial capabilities of rural people, expose them to the digital economy, and help them adapt to climate change.

Eyong said the programme is also being implemented in Mali, Senegal, and other countries in Africa, adding that it was embraced by rural women farmers.

She revealed that UN Women in Nigeria is developing a “new strategy note,” which is the organisation’s plan for the next five years on the needs of women, girls, and the vulnerable in the country.

According to her, field data from across the country has been incorporated into the document to ensure the organisation’s targets are met.