AGRA empowers 50,000 women in Kaduna, Niger

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By: Mayen Etim
KADUNA, North-West, Nigeria – Niger State Government is open and willing to provide favourable environment for intervention by development partners.
This was disclosed by the Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development, Engr. Ibrahim Panti, at the launch of AGRA Gender Consortium by Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa, (AGRA) in Kaduna on Wednesday.
The project seeks to improve the livelihoods of 50,000 women and youth smallholder farmers in Kaduna and Niger States.
Panti, who was represented by Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Dr. Idris Gbogan, said Niger State Government is giving more attention to supporting the involvement of women in all aspects of the agricultural value chain.
The Consortium with some of the beneficiaries.
He assured of Niger State Government’s unflinching commitment to the attainment of the noble objective of the project through provision of all necessary support and cooperation that will be required.
President of Value Seeds Limited, Lead Grantee, Sir George Zangir, said AGRA has recorded another milestone by availing 3 high impact organizations grants to work together for the next 3 years as a Consortium, to improve the livelihoods of 50,000 women and youth smallholder farmers in Kaduna and Niger States.
He said the AGRA Gender Consortium members include; Value Seeds Limited (Lead Grantee), Palm Valley Nigeria Limited and Legal Awareness for Nigerian Women.
The Lead Grantee boss informed that this is the first significant consortium type intervention targeting women only at this scale.
According to him, the project has 3 key objectives: Increased staple crop productivity for smallholder farmers; strengthened and expanded access to output markets; and increased capacity of smallholder farming households and agricultural systems to better prepare for and adapt to shocks and stresses.
AGRA Programme Officer, Dr Esther Ibrahim, delivering her speech.
He added that key deliverables for the 3 consortium members include, among others; provision of inputs and training for staple crops production, establishment of model processing facilities for value addition, linkage to premium market and advocacy for gender inclusive rural economy.
He further said the conventional interventions recognizes women as source of labour for agricultural activities, noting that this intervention has women as the primary beneficiaries, around which all activities would revolve.
“This is to balance the prevailing gender gap. A courageous paradigm shift. Together, we would build the capacity of women for self reliance and give them a solid and sustainable platform to flourish,” he said.
AGRA Programme Officer, Dr Esther Ibrahim, said the project seeks to enhance resilience and upscaling of gender inclusive rural economy for increased productivity, livelihoods and food security.
Head of Finance and Admin, Value Seeds Ltd., George Kabutha, informed that for the actualization of the project, AGRA is already in partnership with the Niger State Agricultural and Mechanization Development Authority, (NAMDA) and Kaduna Agricultural Development Agency, (KADA).

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