By Joyce Remi-Babayeju p mm
FCT Minister of State, Dr. Mariya Mahmoud, as a special guest of honour at an empowerment initiative in Abuja programme presented laptops, cash and certificates to 26 young female fish farmers in Kano state, as part of efforts to build female entrepreneurs in the agricultural value chains.
The minister as a special guest at the closing ceremony of the 5-day empowerment programme of women and youth in modern agriculture for women farmers in North-West (Kano state), commended the Maryam Babangida National Centre for Women Development Abuja, for the initiative.
Speaking on the theme, “Sustainable Growth Through ICT Skill Development in Digital Economy”, Mahmoud noted that the programme was to promote education, skill acquisition,and gender empowerment .
She said, “I see this programme as one of the outcomes of the numerous humanitarian services of promoting education, skills acquisition, women and youth empowerment through the Renewed Hope Initiative of the First Lady, Her Excellency, Sen. Oluremi Tinubu.”
“I, therefore, commend the Maryam Babangida National Centre for Women Development for taking this bold step that will enable farmers use research data and adopts technology necessary to accelerate growth in the agricultural sector.”
She called on the Women Development Centre to raise the bar of female entrepreneurs in the country through the agricultural value chains.
The Director General Maryam Babangida National Centre for Women Development, Abuja, Dr. Asabe Vilita Bashir, emphasized that the programme was designed to expose young women to various ways on information and communication technology (ICT) that can help farmers, agricultural extension workers, and decision markers in improving on their agricultural practice and methods.
The Director General who was represented by the Assistant Director, Mr. Taslim Atoyebi, disclosed that agriculture employs over 75 percent of the country workforce, adding that the demand for agricultural produce keeps increasing as the population swells.
Bashir stressed that information and communication technology is a vehicle that drives development in all sector of the economy, including agriculture.
She charged the participants to make maximum use of knowledge gained from the programme, as the goal of the federal government to lift millions of Nigerians out of poverty would be realized and farmers would be able to contribute their quota to the economic growth and development of the country.
“We will continue to monitor your progress and support your growth all year round as a way to create digital farmers in North-West Zones of Nigeria.”
“As we have conducted this training to expose you to technological innovations in the agric sector, It is my sincere conviction that you will develop interest in the use of technology to improve on your farming practice and the knowledge gained during this training.”
A beneficiary, Hajia Umma Aminu Waru, expressed appreciation to the federal government for the training, and promised to make good use of the skill she acquired.
