The Nigeria Women for Agricultural Progressive and Development Initiative (NWAPDI) has withdrawn from the farmers’ apex body, the All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN), owing allegedly to a leadership crisis and poor inclusion of women in the industry.
While addressing journalists on Tuesday in Abuja, the National Coordinator of NWAPDI, Omolara Svensson, stated that the decision to pull out from AFAN was necessary.
Her words: “After careful consideration and deliberation, the Nigeria Women for Agricultural Progressive and Development Initiative (NWAPDI) has decided to dissociate from AFAN.
“The poor inclusion of women in AFAN’s activities and the ongoing leadership tussles within the organization, which I tried to address during my tenure as Head of Women in Agriculture for the Oyo State AFAN chapter.”
Despite numerous efforts to resolve these issues, Omolara said, it became necessary to redirect NWAPDI’s energy and resources elsewhere.
She explained that NWAPDI was established as the first and foremost Nigerian organization exclusively for women involved in the agricultural sector, spanning production, processing, trade, and commerce.
“Unlike AFAN and similar organizations, NWAPDI is uniquely focused on empowering and supporting women in agriculture across Nigeria
“Our mission is to ensure that women have a significant and influential role in shaping the agricultural landscape of our country. However, despite our efforts, we have observed a persistent lack of meaningful inclusion and recognition of women within AFAN, undermining our core objectives and the progress we strive to achieve,” she said.
According to her, the continuous leadership disputes within AFAN have created an unstable and counterproductive environment, hampering effective collaboration and progress.
“These internal conflicts have made it increasingly challenging for NWAPDI to fulfill its mandate under such circumstances
“As of today, NWAPDI stands as the only registered and authorized women-only agricultural initiative in Nigeria. This position underscores our commitment to creating a focused, inclusive, and progressive platform for women in agriculture.
By standing independently, we believe we can more effectively advocate for the interests of women farmers and drive meaningful change within the agricultural sector,” she asserted.
Furthermore, Omolara said NWAPDI will continue to work tirelessly to support and uplift women in agriculture through various programs, initiatives, and advocacy efforts. She emphasized their dedication to their vision of a robust and inclusive agricultural sector where women play a leading and decisive role.