By Sani Aliyu, Zaria As the world commemorates International Women’s Day 2025, the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA), the Nat...
By Sani Aliyu, Zaria
As the world commemorates International Women’s Day 2025, the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA), the National Agricultural Extension and Research Liaison Services (NAERLS), and Premier Tropicana have called for urgent and transformative actions to empower women in agriculture.
Speaking at a ceremony held at the NAERLS ultra-modern conference hall, Dr. Esther Ibrahim, AGRA Kaduna Programme Leader, emphasized the need to dismantle systemic barriers preventing women from accessing agricultural funding.
Dr. Ibrahim highlighted the challenges women face, including limited access to education, healthcare, and economic opportunities, as well as persistent gender-based violence.
According to her, AGRA remains committed to advocating for women's rights through strategic partnerships and collaborations, which have resulted in improved policies and impactful programs.
In her remarks, Barrister Hadiza Kabir urged policymakers, activists, and community leaders to intensify efforts toward enacting gender-responsive policies and initiatives.
“The call for accelerated action is a call to all stakeholders to join forces in building a just and equitable society. Together, we can create a future where every woman and girl can thrive, contribute meaningfully, and live free from discrimination and violence,” she said.
Also speaking, Dr. Samson Afolabi, Director of Premier Tropicana, stated that the organization is partnering with NAERLS, particularly on extension services, which he described as the bedrock of agricultural development for women.
He noted that women are being linked to good agricultural practices, marketing strategies, and the entire value chain to enhance their productivity and economic stability.
Dr. Afolabi assured that Premier Tropicana will continue to encourage women to actively participate in agricultural production.
He also commended NAERLS for its transformative approach in using technological advancements to modernize farming systems.
In his address, Professor Sani Yusuf, Executive Director of NAERLS, expressed satisfaction with the growing participation of women in agriculture and their involvement in the International Women’s Day celebrations.
Prof. Yusuf emphasized that women are increasingly engaging in food production at the same level as their male counterparts.
He called for increased funding to empower women and boost agricultural production, which would significantly improve Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
Professor Christogonus Daudu, Principal Investigator at NAERLS, stressed that agricultural development in Nigeria cannot succeed without serious government intervention.
He emphasized that while empowering women in agriculture is essential, the lack of commitment from key stakeholders remains a major hindrance.
“NAERLS is at the forefront of championing women's inclusion across the agricultural value chain,” he said, urging all stakeholders to work together in ensuring women have access to productive resources that will enable them to contribute effectively to agricultural transformation.
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