Food security: FG empowers 500,000 farmers in A/Ibom

The Federal Government has flagged off “Project Earn from the soil” and domestication of the Women Economic Empowerment (WEE) Policy in Akwa Ibom state.

The Senior Special Assistant (SSA) to the President on Community Engagement, South-South, Hon. Gift Johobull, flagged off the project designed to ensure food security yesterday in Akwa Ibom.

The agriculture initiative aims to directly benefit 500,000 smallholder farmers, fisherfolk, agribusinesses, and coastal communities in the South-South region, with indirect benefits to 1,000,000 household families.

In her address, while flagging off the project, Johobull said the project would boost food security and create a new generation of women agripreneurs, with the ultimate goal of making Akwa Ibom a leader in agricultural production not just in Nigeria, but across West Africa.

“The empowerment of women is not just a goal but a responsibility,” she stated. “It is a responsibility that we must all share —government, private sector, civil society, and the community at large. By working together, we can create an environment where women are no longer just participants in the economy but leaders and innovators who drive growth and development.”

According to her, the Women Economic Empowerment (WEE) policy is a comprehensive blueprint aimed at transforming the lives of women in Akwa Ibom by enhancing their access to finance, agriculture, education, entrepreneurship, and leadership opportunities.

The policy is expected to lay the foundation for sustainable, inclusive development across the state.

Over 32 cooperatives have been registered free across 31 local governments of the state cutting across six value chains of agriculture. Some of the beneficiaries expressed gratitude for President Tinubu’s support to the state.

The Senior Special Assistant also emphasised the importance of collaboration in achieving the objectives of the WEE Policy and the “Earn From The Soil” project.

She urged all stakeholders to harness the power of the state’s land, resources, and people to create a thriving, equitable, and prosperous Akwa Ibom that aligns with President Tinubu’s renewed hope agenda on food security.

The First Lady of Akwa Ibom state, Patience Umo Eno, represented by the Commissioner for Women Affairs in the state, Dr Ini Adiakpan, said that the project aligns with the agenda of the state’s leadership, particularly the focus on agriculture.

“This project is in line with His Excellency’s agenda, which is centred on agriculture. We are confident that this endeavour will empower our women and drive the economic growth of our state,” she stated.

The Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development, Akwa Ibom State, Offiong Offor, in her goodwill message, expressed the state government’s commitment to providing the necessary resources and support to ensure the project’s long-term sustainability.

She encouraged women and men farmers to organise into cooperative groups.

Other representatives from Nexim, Zenith Bank, the Rural Electrification Agency (REA), UN Women, and various other organizations committed to advancing the economic prospects of women in the state.