By Joyce Remi- Babayeju
500 rural women farmers from the six Area Council in the FCT today were empowered by the Federal Capital Territory Administration with the distribution of different varieties of improved seedlings.
The FCT Minister of State, Dr. Ramatu Tijjani who officially distributed the seedlings to farmers in the territory said the gesture is to enable the women farmers up-scale their production activities which was disrupted as a result of COVID-19 Pandemic.
Tijjan reiterated the FCT administration’s commitment to focus more on the development of rural women who are more vulnerable in the present economic realities.
She disclosed that the administration was ready to port the implementation of programmes and policies geared towards the development of women across the six area councils in the territory.
She said, ” the empowered rural women for their contribution to the health and productivity of their families, communities, and countries, thus creating a ripple effect that benefits everyone, adding that such feat increases a woman’s sense of self-worth, her decision-making power, her access to opportunities and resources, her power and control over her own life inside and outside the home, and her ability to effect change.”
“There is no gainsaying the fact that the FCT has a large population of women and youth that are engaged in small scale farming activities which is why we consider it very strategic to support them,” stressing that the establishment of the FCT Aquaculture and Allied Trades Center at Kwali has helped to pull over 50 women and youth out of poverty by giving them a new means of livelihood.”
Acting Secretary FCT Area Council Services Secretariat, Mrs. Omolola Olanipekun disclosed that the Secretariat was working tirelessly to initiate other empowerment programmes and initiatives and to partner with interested stakeholders in line with the vision of the FCT Administration.
She tasked the beneficiaries to work hard in order to ensure that the improved seedlings distributed would produce the expected yields and become the source of economic empowerment and liberation to rural women.
Olanipekun said, “Today’s event is key to the present administration’s agenda of eradicating poverty and creating wealth through agriculture which will potentially contribute to food security of the nation, empower our women and give them financial and economic stability”.
The highpoint of the event was the official distribution of the improved seedlings to rural women and representatives of the National Council of Women Societies by the FCT Minister of State.
