Government Reaffirms Commitment to Empowering Women in Agriculture

By Salawu Nneka Patience

The Kogi State Government has reaffirmed its unwavering commitment to prioritizing women’s empowerment in agriculture and small-scale businesses as part of its broader agenda to strengthen food security and promote economic growth across the state.

The State Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Security, Hon. Timothy Ojomah, gave the assurance during the 2025 World Food Day Celebration held in Lokoja on Thursday. The event, themed “Hang in Hand for Better Food and a Better Future,” brought together key stakeholders in the agricultural sector.

Represented by the Director of Agricultural Services, Mr. Kunle Agbana, the Commissioner commended the Small Scale Women Farmers Organisation in Nigeria (SWOFON) for organizing the event in partnership with the Ministry and with the support of ActionAid Nigeria. He described the annual celebration as a vital platform to raise awareness and mobilize stakeholders to complement government efforts in achieving sustainable food production.

Hon. Ojomah reiterated that the present administration will continue to encourage women’s participation in agriculture and entrepreneurship, stressing that women play a pivotal role in advancing food production and improving the state’s socio-economic development.

“The government will not relent in encouraging women’s participation in agriculture and small-scale enterprises to boost food production and enhance the socio-economic well-being of our people,” he stated.

The Commissioner further disclosed that the Kogi State Ministry of Agriculture had allocated over 8,000 hectares of land to farmers last year, with women being among the primary beneficiaries. He also assured that future budgets will feature robust allocations to the agricultural sector, particularly initiatives that involve women farmers and SWOFON.

Ojomah expressed optimism over the recent decline in the prices of agricultural commodities, describing the trend as a welcome development that will help curb hunger and poverty across the nation.

In her remarks, the Kogi State Coordinator of SWOFON, Hajia Rukayat Ahmed, explained that the World Food Day celebration aims to raise awareness on the need for sustainable agricultural practices and food security in Kogi State and Nigeria as a whole.

“The celebration gives us the opportunity to reflect on our contributions to agriculture and national development. We, as women farmers, remain committed to ensuring food security and fighting hunger,” Hajia Ahmed said.

She also called for the training of women farmers on climate change adaptation and other modern agricultural techniques to improve productivity and resilience.

The event was attended by representatives from the Kogi State House of Assembly Committee on Agriculture, the Ministries of Agriculture and Budget Planning, the Kogi State Agricultural Development Project (ADP), and the Directorate of Commercial Agriculture.