The Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security said inclusivity of gender, youths and People with Disabilities (PWDs) will be the backbone of the ministry’s entire processes and value-chain of agriculture.

The Director of Special Duties in the ministry, Kachallah Damaturu, said this on Friday in Enugu.

Mr Damaturu said this during a South-East Zonal Consultative Forum for the Review of National Gender Policy in Agriculture for Nigeria and its Strategic plan of Action (2025 – 2030).

She said that the forum was held in the South-East to give voices to women, youths and PWDs, consider their special needs and obtain their buy-in into the national plan of action for agriculture.

According to her, the ministry will not leave any segment of society behind as agriculture works well when there is a robust inclusion of all.

She said, “I want to acknowledge President Ahmed Tinubu, who has shown vital interest in the agriculture sector, especially in the areas affecting women. The President, during the women affairs ministry’s programme on October 15, 2024, reiterated that women empowerment in agriculture should be given priority especially in agricultural training, access to land and financial services.”

The director said that the ministry expanded the participants beyond the women, youths and PWDs as well as involved commissioners, permanent secretaries and directors at the states in the South-East to ensure that everybody gets involved and inputs collated.

Speaking, the Food and Agriculture Advisor of ActionAid, Blessing Akhile, said that the forum was to promote equity and productivity, adding that it would help to shape the resilience of the total agricultural system.

According to Ms Akhile, whose ActionAid chairs the steering Committee on the Review of the National Gender Policy, when everybody is on board, it will lead to poverty reduction, food security and a resilient food system.

She said, “Actionaid appreciates the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, Alliance for Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA), the German International Support (GIZ) and others for their support and contribution to ensure the consultation will be successful. The forum today will ensure that all requirements of various segments of society is catered for and to ensure a robust inclusivity.’’

Corroborating, the Programme Officer of AGRA in Nigeria, Dr Esther Ibrahim, said that agriculture remained the backbone of African’s economy and it employs millions of people on the continent.

Ms Ibrahim said that the vast population of Africa farmers were women and youths, adding that AGRA’s policy and action plan continued to provide systematic support to women and youth farmers.

According to her, AGRA through its strategic system continued to remove barriers militating against women and youths in agriculture, noting that they are ready to support the move of the ministry and her partners.

In an address, the Enugu State Commissioner for Agriculture and Agro-Industrialisation, Patrick Ubru, said the state made it mandatory to have 70 per cent of women and youths in all its agricultural progammes.

Mr Ubru also said that women and youths were well represented in agricultural programmes and value-change in the state.

He commended Governor Peter Mbah, the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security and her partners for their continuous support to agriculture, creating jobs and food production including ensuring inclusivity of all.

(NAN)