By John Ugo, Awka
The Anambra State Government said it is to empower Women Cooperative Societies in agriculture-based activities with N1.086,000,000 billion to encourage them in food production.
Commissioner for Agriculture, Dr Foster Ihejiofor, stated this on Wednesday when he received members of the Ultimate Business Women And Farmers Association of Nigeria (UBWFAN), a Non-governmental Organisation !NGO), in Awka, the state capital.
He said that each women Corporative Society in the 362 electoral wards in the state would receive N3million as part of government efforts to promote Agricultural activities and food production.
According to him, “The aim of the agenda is to boost food production activities by the groups with the target of making the state one of the food baskets of the nation,” he said.
Ihejiofor said who that Gov. Chukwuma Soludo is passionate about agriculture, added that women are very reliable group to work with on the agenda.”
Ihejiofor said that government was targeting at least 8,000 women to be empowered under the scheme in the state.
He commended members of the UBWFAN for their interest in agricultural activities and assured them of partnership in the agricultural programs.
Earlier, Mrs Nkiru Nwagbo, National President of UBWFAN said the group was in the commissioner’s office to seek partnership with the ministry in key areas of agricultural programs.
“We realize the critical role of your Ministry as a key driver in Agricultural programs and it is for this that we seek sustained partnership with your ministry,” she said.
Nwagbo also harped on the need to include members of the group into the activities of the state with the coordination of the ministry such that National and International Organisations would be involved.
“We will equally want capacity building of our members in Agri-business ventures in livestock, crops production, storage and processing among others.”
She solicited for the inclusion of the group in the activities of International Food and Agriculture Development Programme and Value Chain Development Programme (FGN/IFAD, VCDP) as well as the Programmes of the Agricultural Development Programmr (ADP) etc.