The need for more women to actively participate in farming activities towards reducing unemployment and resuscitate cottage industries to boost the economy of the nation has been stressed.
A Senior Administrative Officer of the Small Medium Enterprises Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN), Mr Achemta Isaiah stated this yesterday in Ilorin during a sensitisation tour of the Glorious Women Farmers Multipurporpose Cooperative Society Ltd’ s farm in its readiness to key into the Federal Government’s One Local Government, One Product Policy of agriculture.
According to him, SMEDAN would ensure proper monitoring, training and provision of funds to ensure take off and boosting of new and existing agro-processing businesses.
Isaiah therefore advised the women Farmers to see the project as a serious business that requires concerted efforts for its sustainability.
While commending them for their zeal to add value to the nation’s economy, the SMEDAN officer described women as veritable tool of development of the nation.
He noted that SMEDAN’s support at ensuring sustainability of the OLOP project will last for three years after which each empowered agro-processing cooperative ventures are expected to run fully without further support.
In her remarks, Mrs Fasakin Jadesola Oluwayemisi, the Chairperson of the Glorious Women Farmers while thanking the SMEDAN representatives for the visit gave the assurance that the association would judiciously utilise SMEDAN’s support to end poverty amongst women.
Also speaking, the Chairman Kwara State Agricultural Practitioners Association of Nigeria (KWAPA), Mr Abayomi Martins Ajiboso commended the female farmers for their contributions to the agricultural sector, adding that their efforts would help create chain of businesses that would enhance both the state and nation’s economy at large.
Also present at the farmland of the Glorious Women farmers where the meeting was held at Aiyede Community in Moro Local Government Area of the state, were members of the women farmers and a Kwara State representative of SMEDAN, Mr Mohammed Bashir.
