The wife of the Ogun State Governor, Mrs Bamidele Abiodun, has advised women farmers to embrace technology for agricultural development in order to boost food production.
She stated this in her speech at the opening ceremony of a two-day training organized for women farmers, where a total of 150 women benefitted.
Powered by the Adeola Azeez Community Care Foundation (AACCF) in conjunction with HERVEST, the training, themed “Agritech: Empowering Women in Agriculture Through Technology”, held in Ijebu-Ode, was packaged to commemorate the 2024 edition of International Women’s Day celebration.
Mrs. Abiodun emphasized the importance of leveraging technology to find sustainable ways to grow food, ensure food security, and protect the environment, thereby impacting other Sustainable Development Goals such as Goal 2 (Zero Hunger) and Goal 13 (Climate Action).
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She said, “By embracing technology in agriculture, we can enhance productivity, reduce waste, and mitigate the environmental impact of farming practices. This not only ensures food security for our country but also contributes to the global effort to combat climate change.
“As the First Lady of Ogun State, I am committed to extending some of our own programs impacting women in agriculture to partner with AACCF to reach more women.
“Together, we can make a significant difference in the lives of women in our communities, empowering them to be more productive, financially independent, and successful in agriculture.
“I urge all stakeholders to continue supporting initiatives like AGRITECH, as they play a vital role in empowering women in agriculture and driving sustainable development in our communities.
In his remarks, the State Commissioner for Agriculture, Hon. Bolu Owotomo, promised that the State government will continue to support the Foundation towards ensuring that it realizes the objectives and vision of its founder.
Emphasizing that the Foundation’s objective is also in tandem with the vision of the Prince Dapo Abiodun-led administration in the State, the commissioner assured that the State government will not withhold whatever it can do to encourage the women and youths from going into agriculture.
Azeez, in her welcome remarks, said the essence of the training was to empower women in agriculture through the transformative power of technology.
She therefore encouraged all stakeholders to address all issues hindering women in agriculture from accessing vital agricultural resources.
The convener said, “We are gathered to celebrate our women’s efforts in promoting a better society through agriculture and food production. We are gathered to collectively empower women in agriculture through the transformative power of technology.
“We are also gathered to provide training and education to promote the efficiency and productivity of women in agribusiness, and we are here today to invite all stakeholders and the government to set up interventions that address the concerns and needs of women in agriculture such as access to funding, lands, machinery, agricultural inputs such as fertilizers, feeds, and access to global and local markets.
“We want to encourage all stakeholders to address those traditional norms that exclude women from access to vital agricultural resources, especially land. If all these accesses were available to women, we would have succeeded in investing in women in agriculture in Ogun state and nationwide, thereby accelerating their growth.”