Cross River First Lady to empower women, young farmers under RHI agricultural support programme

The Wife of Cross River State Governor, Eyoanwan Otu has concluded modalities to commence the empowerment of women and young farmers under the Renewed Hope Initiative Agriculture Support Programme, with the aim of fostering sustainable agricultural practices and enhancing food security across the nation.

This was revealed by Faith Okon-Egbujiem, chief press secretary, to Mrs. Otu, during a briefing held at the Solomon Uno Lodge, Calabar, who revealed that the Renewed Hope Initiative Agriculture Support Programme would provide each participant with an opportunity to expand their agriculture venture, while contributing to local and national food production.

According to her, the Renewed Hope Initiative, a “pet project of the First Lady of the Nation, Her Excellency, Sen. Oluremi Tinubu, is committed to supporting Women and Young Farmers to align with the broader agenda to strengthen the agriculture sector and contribute to the attainment of food security in the country.”

She said that the programme was segmented into four key agriculture-focused initiatives namely: The Women Agricultural Support Programme; Youth Agricultural Support Programme; Every Home a Garden and Young Farmers Club. She added that Cross River State has been empowered to train and empower women farmers, support young farmers, encourage garden farms in every home and the revitalise the Young Farmers Clubs.

She also said that 320 persons according to their preferences on crop production, fishery and poultry production, including baking and confectionaries; as well as 30 schools across the state would benefit from the programme, spread across the three senatorial districts of the state. She added that participants in fishery would be empowered with 200 juveniles, I fiber tank, 2 bags of feeds and medications.

She further said that participants in poultry production would get 50-day-old chicks, two bags of starter feeds and two bags of finisher feeds each; while those that would be trained on crop production and those that will partake in “every home a garden” will be empowered with improved maize seeds, okra, pumkin seeds, organic fertilizer, watering cans, and herbicides.

On the essence of the four agriculture initiatives, the Press Secretary mentioned that it is purposed to help women and farmers gain skills and improve food production and nutrition; teach young farmers better farming practices and skills, include areas like home economics and nutrition; encourage every Nigerian family to cultivate a garden at home to feed the family and share with neighbours as well as help boost household-level food security and potentially create income-generating opportunities through surplus yield, and revitalise school farming and introduce students to farming, as a way to inspire their interest in agriculture.

Okon-Egbujiem further explained that “to effectively deliver on the objectives of the Renewed Hope Initiative Agriculture Support Programme, the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, Cross River State, and the State Ministry of Agriculture and Irrigation Development are spearheading the process in collaboration with the Office of the Wife of the Governor.”

She called on all stakeholders in the agricultural sector including government officials and community leaders, as well as non-governmental organisations to support this initiative and whoever the beneficiaries would be to ensure a smooth implementation of the programme.

Answering questions from newsmen, the Senior Special Adviser Administration to the governor’s wife, Comfort Oko said that the sum of N68,913,515.50 (sixty-eight million, nine hundred and thirteen thousand, five hundred and fifteen-naira, fifty kobo) was disbursed to the coordinating Ministry of Agriculture for the programme implementation.

She added that participants would be chosen based on their prior exposure to the available value chains for sustenance and value addition.

On his part, the State Coordinator, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, Asim Eta Asim said that the Federal and State Ministries of Agriculture would provide seasoned resource persons for training and capacity building, adding that the beneficiaries have to be trained on value addition to each of their chosen value chain.

Responding to the question of whether more schools will be included in the Young Farmers Club, the Special Assistant New Media and Communication, Office of Wife of the Governor, Kenneth Anam said that 10 schools would be picked from each of the senatorial districts for the purpose of the programme, adding that subsequently, other schools would be added.