The Federal Government has called for greater investment in women farmers, insisting that empowering them is not an act of charity but a strategic investment in Nigeria’s food security, economic growth and community development.
The Anambra State Coordinator of the Federal Government/International Fund for Agricultural Development Value Chain Development Programme (FGN/IFAD-VCDP), Dr Deborah Onyefulu, made the call on Tuesday in Awka during the commemoration of the 2026 International Year of Women Farmers.
The event, organised in collaboration with the Anambra State Ministry of Agriculture, was themed: “Investing in Women Agrifood Systems and Securing the Future for Resilience.”
Addressing participants, Onyefulu described women as the backbone of the agricultural value chain, noting that they play vital roles in cultivation, planting, harvesting, processing, preservation and marketing of food.
She urged governments and stakeholders to expand women’s access to land, affordable finance, modern technology, farm inputs, markets, training and decision-making opportunities to boost agricultural productivity.
“When a woman farmer has access to land, she has a stronger foundation on which to build a future.
“When she has access to affordable finance and the right technology, her productivity increases, while access to markets and fair prices translates her hard work into sustainable income,” she said.
According to her, the IFAD-VCDP currently supports over 13,000 farmers across nine participating local government areas in Anambra State, including Anambra East, Anambra West, Ayamelum, Awka North, Orumba South, Orumba North, Ihiala, Ogbaru and Aguata.
She said the celebration was an opportunity to recognise the resilience, knowledge and immense contributions of women farmers to their families, communities and the nation’s food security.
Onyefulu also stressed the importance of involving women in agricultural policy formulation, arguing that their participation would make the sector more responsive to community needs.
She further called for deliberate efforts to attract young women and girls into agriculture, describing the sector as a modern, profitable and technology-driven profession capable of producing future leaders.
“Supporting women farmers is not a favour; it is an investment in development, food security, stronger families, stronger communities and stronger nations,” she added.
The Anambra State Commissioner for Agriculture, Dr Ben Chuks Odoemelam, described women as “the wealth of the nation,” assuring them that Governor Chukwuma Soludo’s administration would continue investing in agriculture to tackle challenges such as limited access to land, financing and the effects of climate change.
“Do not be discouraged. The government will continue to support you as you drive food security and healthy food in the state,” he said.
Also speaking, Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, Mrs Esther Onyekesi, encouraged women across different professions to embrace agriculture as a pathway to financial independence and self-reliance.
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She said greater female participation in farming would strengthen families, communities and the national economy.
Speaking on behalf of the VCDP Women Farmers Network, Mrs Uju Nwankwo described agriculture as more than a source of income, saying it was also a means of securing the future of their children.
She thanked IFAD-VCDP and the Anambra State Government for supporting women farmers through entrepreneurship training, farm inputs, access to land and loans from the Bank of Agriculture and other financial institutions.
She added that many beneficiaries had diversified into agro-processing and remained committed to improving food security in their homes and communities.
The event featured exhibitions of agricultural produce and value-added products, alongside the presentation of awards to outstanding female farmers in Anambra State.
