The Federal Government has announced its commitment to providing financial assistance to support two million women engaged in agribusiness activities nationwide.
This announcement coincided with the presentation of bank drafts worth N10 million each by the wife of the President, Oluremi Tinubu, to the wives of state governors. The financial aid aims to empower women and youth farmers, enabling them to produce food and generate income.
Paul Ikonne, the Executive Secretary of the National Agricultural Land Development Authority (NALDA), revealed this initiative in a statement issued in Abuja. He emphasized that NALDA is dedicated to collaborating with the First Lady to empower women, particularly young women, in agribusiness. The agency has earmarked support for two million women under this program.
The Renewed Hope Initiative, spearheaded by the First Lady, is a grassroots scheme aimed at enhancing the livelihoods of Nigerians across the six geopolitical zones. Launched in Owerri, Imo State, the initiative seeks to empower women farmers and alleviate poverty in the country.
In her address, the First Lady underscored the significance of supporting women farmers, aligning it with the broader national agenda to strengthen the agricultural sector. She highlighted the pivotal role of agriculture and agribusiness in achieving sustainable development and food sufficiency.
As part of the initiative, the Federal Government will support 20 women farmers per state with N500,000 each, totaling N10 million per state. Bank drafts of N10 million each were presented to the first ladies of the Southeast states during the event, attended by dignitaries including the wife of the Vice-President, Nana Shettima, and wives of state governors.
In her remarks, the wife of the Imo State Governor and Zonal Chairman, South-East, Renewed Hope Initiative, Chioma Uzodimma, expressed gratitude to President Bola Tinubu and his wife for their support towards the success of the initiative. She emphasized the importance of women’s empowerment in fostering inclusive and prosperous communities.
The event also featured the distribution of agricultural inputs to beneficiaries from the South-East, including maize seeds, liquid fertilizers, herbicides, and poultry birds, aimed at supporting their farming endeavors and enhancing food production.
