As part of efforts to build female entrepreneurs in the agricultural value chains, minister of state for the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Dr. Mariya Mahmoud, has gifted laptops, cash and certificates to 26 young female fish farmers in Kano state.
The minister, who was a special guest of honour at the closing ceremony of a five-day empowerment programme of women and youth in modern agriculture for women farmers in North-West (Kano state), commended the Maryam Babangida National Centre for Women Development Abuja, for the initiative.
While speaking on the theme: “Sustainable Growth Through ICT Skill Development in the Digital Economy”, Mahmoud asserted that the programme was to promote education, skill acquisition, and gender empowerment.
Her words: “I see this programme as one of the outcomes of the numerous humanitarian services of promoting education, skills acquisition, women and youth empowerment through the Renewed Hope Initiative of the First Lady, Her Excellency, Sen. Oluremi Tinubu.
“I, therefore, commend the Maryam Babangida National Centre for Women Development for taking this bold step that will enable farmers to use research data and adopt technology necessary to accelerate growth in the agricultural sector.”
According to her, the Women Development Centre should raise the bar of female entrepreneurs in the country through the agricultural value chains.
Also speaking was the Director General Maryam Babangida National Centre for Women Development, Abuja, Dr Asabe Vilita Bashir, who noted that the programme was designed to expose young women to various ways information and communication technology (ICT) can help farmers, agricultural extension workers, and decision makers in improving on their agricultural practice and methods.
The Director General, represented by the Assistant Director, Mr. Taslim Atoyebi, disclosed that agriculture employs over 75 percent of the country’s workforce, adding that the demand for agricultural produce keeps increasing as the population swells.
Information and communication technology, she said, is a vehicle that drives development in all sectors of the economy, including agriculture.
The Director General then called on the participants to make maximum use of knowledge gained from the programme, stressing that the goal of the federal government to lift millions of Nigerians out of poverty would be realized and farmers would be able to contribute their quota to the economic growth and development of the country.
“We will continue to monitor your progress and support your growth all year round. In order to create digital farmers in North-West Zones of Nigeria.
“We have conducted this training to expose you to technological innovations in the agric sector. It is my sincere conviction that you will develop interest in the use of technology to improve on your farming practice and the knowledge gained during this training,” he said.
One of the beneficiaries, Hajia Umma Aminu Waru, expressed appreciation to the federal government for the training, while promising to make good use of the skill she acquired.