The Women Farmers Advancement Network (WOFAN) has announced plans to impact the lives of 675,000 farmers and processors over the next five years as part of its ongoing commitment to women’s economic empowerment in Nigeria.
The declaration was made at the launch of an extensive initiative marking the 2025 International Women’s Day (IWD) in Kano, which aims to support 54,000 women involved in agro-produce marketing across nine states.
Dr. Salamatu Garba, Country Director of the WOFAN-ICON2 Project, highlighted the organization’s strategic focus on creating sustainable change for women, particularly those in rural and underserved communities.
Speaking at the event, she emphasized that WOFAN’s vision extends into ensuring long-term empowerment through economic independence.
“We must go beyond discussions and take meaningful steps to provide women with confidence, opportunities, and economic independence, this initiative represents a sustainable model that strengthens every segment of the agricultural value chain,ensuring that women are integral to the agricultural ecosystem”, Dr. Garba asserted.
As part of the first phase of the project, WOFAN will distribute 54,000 bags of rice to help support the livelihoods of widows and street food vendors, many of whom have limited resources to scale their businesses. The distribution is designed to empower women by providing essential products that can both support their businesses and increase their financial resilience.
Dr. Garba further explained how the project builds a closed-loop agricultural system, starting from farmers who receive inputs such as fertilizer and seeds, all the way to women at WOFAN’s processing centers who refine the rice using modern equipment.
This processed rice is then redistributed to smallholder farmers and traders, creating a thriving and sustainable cycle that supports women’s involvement in every stage of the agricultural value chain.
In his remarks, Professor Sani Miko, Chair of WOFAN’s Technical Advisory Board, highlighted the need to integrate marketers into the agricultural value chain, as they often remain marginalized despite their critical role.
“Marketers are often overlooked despite their key role in ensuring that agricultural products reach the end consumer. This initiative focuses on empowering them, ensuring they are not left behind,” he said.
He added that WOFAN’s goal is to reach 675,000 farmers and processors in the next five years, empowering them through integrated support systems that span farming, processing, and marketing.
