‘To enhance food production’ — IFAD seeks collaboration with FG on women’s training

The International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) has sought for the collaboration of the federal government on women’s training and education to enhance food production and national development.

Yaya Olaniran, executive director of IFAD Nigeria, made the call in Abuja on Thursday at an open house exhibition and gender dialogue.

The event, tagged “Investing in women in agriculture” , was part of the activities to commemorate International Women’s Day.

Olaniran said women education had a multiplier effect on the family, neighbourhood, community and the nation at large.

“When you train a woman, you are training the home, community and more importantly, the next generation,” NAN quoted Olaniran as saying.

“Mothers look after children in every aspect like welfare, health, feeding and more importantly, their spiritual well-being.

“My appeal is the education of women; such education has to do with different categories; everyone needs to be educated to play their role regarding what to do for us, our nation and indeed for our ward.

“We cannot afford not to do it and do it well; everyone has to work together to meet the need of women.”

On his part, Aliyu Abdullahi, minister of state for agriculture, said women play vital role in agricultural production, processing and marketing.

Abdullahi said women had proven to be pivotal in farm production and better managers of farm enterprises.

“When you empower women, they empower the family; any family that is empowered, turn out to empower the community,” he said.

“If you give women N20,000, it will have a multiplier effect in terms of welfare, nutrition and health of the family; therefore, women need to be supported, empowered in their area of strength.”

The minister identified some of the challenges affecting women in food production as processing, marketing and storage.

He assured of the ministry’s commitment to support them in mitigating these challenges.