From Adanna Nnamani, Abuja
The Abia State Government has pledged to accommodate smallholder women farmers in its proposed agricultural industrial land project that aims to revolutionise its economy.
This commitment comes after The Sun Media Development Foundation previously engaged stakeholders and pushed for the state government’s action to lessen the impact of erosion on women’s farmlands.
Dr. Cliff Agbaeze, the Governor’s Special Adviser on Agriculture, hinted of an earmarked large expanse of land for agricultural practices in the state during a recent interview with Mr. Victor Emwruwa, the Executive Director of the Foundation.
Agbaeze said the land will also accommodate smallholder farmers, including women farmers groups.
He said: “The governor, Dr. Alex Otti is prioritising agriculture beyond the subsistence level to commercial agricultural production, processing, and exporting.
“The state will be partnering successful firms globally to boost its agricultural potential. Aside from reviving the existing farm settlements, the governor has directed reservation of an expanse of land for industrial scale agriculture. “
During an earlier stakeholders meeting convened by The Sun Media Development Foundation in January, the organisation called on the government to relocate smallholder farmers whose farmlands were displaced due to erosion.
The event organised with support from the Urgent Action Fund Africa (UAF-Africa) as part of engagement programme with the Abia State Government, Small Holders Women Farmers and other stakeholders in an effort to address issues of erosion and end food insecurity in the State, was entitled: “Women Farmers, Groups, Legislators, Stakeholders State Level Erosion Mitigation Support for Women Farmers in Abia State.” It was held in Umuahia, the state capital , with participants drawn from all the 17 Local Government Areas (LGAs) of the state
The programme was the first stage of a project designed to address the pressing need to stop the destructive effects of erosion on farmlands owned by smallholder women farmers in the Abia, which had been neglected for the past 24 years.
At the meeting, the women were able to create a charter of demands which they submitted to the state government to be included and implemented in the state budget for 2024 to help advance the creation and execution of a long-term state-level erosion-mitigation strategy to assist the farmers.
Speaking at the stakeholder engagement , the State’s Commissioner for Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Mrs. Ngozi Felix commended the The Sun Media Development Foundation for spotlighting the plight of small -holders women farmers in the state.
Represented by Mrs. Chinyere Nwogwugwu, a director in the Ministry, the commissioner stated that the activities of the women farmers and the difficulties they face might not have been known if it were not for The Sun Media Development Foundation.
She revealed that the Abia State administration was working hard to improve the welfare of women and to guarantee gender equality in the state through her Ministry.
Additionally, the commissioner of the Ministry of Environment, represented by Obinna Onyebuchi, expressed sadness that the state had become more vulnerable to erosion due to previous administrations’ disregard for flood hazards.
She expressed optimism, however, that the partnership between the Foundation and the state administration would help to expedite solutions to the situation, adding that the three erosion sites were already being tackled in the state.
Reacting to Abia State programme for the smallhokders farmers, The Sun Media Development Foundation ED, said: “This is a testament to a listening government. During our stakeholders meeting in Umuahia, we urged the government to engage women farmers in its agricultural plan. This is exactly what we are seeing with this bold and inclusive agricultural expansion plan.”
He commended the state government for this prompt response to demand that would help Abia State and smallholders farmers in the quest for food security.