In a bid to enhance food production and improve the livelihoods of women farmers, the Ogun State Government, through the Value Chain Development Programme (VCDP), has empowered 160 women from eight local government areas with 480 chickens and 2,160 garden seedlings.
The beneficiaries, drawn from Odeda, Obafemi-Owode, Ifo, Odogbolu, Ijebu North-East, Yewa South, Yewa North, and Ijebu East LGAs, include nursing mothers, youths, adults, and pregnant women.
Speaking at the flag-off ceremony held at OGADEP, Idi-Aba, Abeokuta, the Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Security, Bolu Owotomo, noted that the initiative aims to improve the livelihood of women farmers and enhance the well-being of the people.
The VCDP, a six-year programme funded by the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), focuses on supporting cassava and rice value chains for small farmers in nine states, including Ogun. The programme provides input support, agrochemicals, land development and preparation, agricultural processing and equipment, and market interventions to enhance the productivity and income of smallholder farmers. This latest empowerment exercise is part of the VCDP’s efforts to support women farmers and promote sustainable food production in Ogun State.
Owotomo, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary, Mrs. Kehinde Jokotoye, stated that this empowerment initiative will enhance household incomes while also increasing the availability of eggs for consumption.
Owotomo highlighted that through the contributions of these women, Ogun State can achieve both food security and economic prosperity. “Your commitment to agriculture and resilience are remarkable. You are the backbone of our rural economy, and through your efforts, Ogun State will continue to achieve food security and economic prosperity,” he said.
He further emphasized that the initiative will increase household income, with the potential for families to produce an average of 30 eggs monthly to meet their nutritional needs. He also noted that the opportunity to sell surplus eggs will boost their overall well-being, enabling them to eat fresh, organic produce and have continuous access to animal protein in a sustainable manner.
Also speaking, the Acting Project Coordinator of the Value Chain Development Programme (VCDP), Temitope Ajisafe, highlighted the importance of empowering women in Ogun State, particularly in the area of household nutrition. She emphasized that this initiative would lead to increased productivity and improved health within families.
Ajisafe explained that each beneficiary of the VCDP program had received three chickens, along with their feed, a variety of home garden seedlings, and fertilizers. She urged the beneficiaries to carefully follow the instructions provided to achieve the best results.
In her remarks, Victoria Shobande, the Acting Programme Manager of the Ogun State Agricultural Development Programme (OGADEP), outlined the nutritional value of the chickens and seedlings distributed to beneficiaries. She highlighted the inclusion of high-nutrient crops like banana, orange, and sweet brown potato, among others. Shobande urged the beneficiaries to care for their new livestock and plants to fully reap the benefits.
Representatives from Ijebu East and Odeda Local Government Areas, Oluwafemi Olabiran and Barakat Olubaje, expressed their gratitude on behalf of the other beneficiaries for the items distributed by the state government. They pledged to utilize the chickens, seedlings, and other resources effectively to improve their nutritional well-being.
Additional seedlings distributed included pumpkin, plantain, soursop, pawpaw, tomato, and pepper.