The Federal Government has successfully concluded its Agricultural Empowerment Programme for women across six South-South states, culminating in the grand launch of the “Earn From The Soil” project in Delta State.
This initiative aims to transform agriculture and boost food security in the region by promoting cooperative formation and commodity-based clustering.
Speaking at the launch, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Community Engagement for the South-South, Hon. Gift Johnbull, emphasized that the project aligns with President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda. She highlighted its focus on food security, agricultural growth, and economic empowerment for women, particularly in the South-South region.
“This event represents a significant step toward economically empowering women,” Johnbull stated. “As we embark on this journey, let us use our resources, fertile lands, and the ingenuity of our people to create a prosperous, food-secure, and equitable Delta State.”
She added that the Federal Government aims to support over 500,000 smallholder farmers, agribusinesses, and fisherfolk, with a primary focus on empowering women.
The project seeks to boost agricultural productivity through sustainable farming practices, enhance the value of agricultural and aquaculture products through improved processing and packaging, and establish strong market linkages for women farmers. It also promotes cluster projects to encourage entrepreneurship and create opportunities along the agricultural value chain.
In his remarks, Delta State’s Executive Assistant to the Governor on Community Development, Emakpor Odogu, praised the initiative’s timeliness. “When you’re hungry and have the means to move forward with a deliberate course of action, it gives you hope,” he said.
Odogu described the women’s economic empowerment policy as a key element of this federal initiative, aimed at alleviating hunger. He also noted that the initiative aligns with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal of zero hunger and thanked the Federal Government for bringing it to Delta State.
The launch of the Women’s Economic Empowerment (WEE) Policy and the “Earn From The Soil” project is expected to position Delta State as a leader in agricultural development, setting a standard for sustainable economic growth through women’s empowerment in the South-South region.
