Two NGOs, Palm Valley Nigerian Limited, and Women Farmers Advancement Network in commemoration of the 2024 International Women’s Day celebrated rural women in Kaduna State in grand style, while harping on the importance of self-development.

The two NGOs are implementing the WOFAN ICON2 project powered by Mastercard Foundation.

The project is strategically designed to drive sustainable agricultural growth and economic development in Benue, Nasarawa, and Kaduna states.

The ICON2 aims to strengthen agricultural enterprise value chains, generate employment opportunities, and enhance income for women and youth farmers and processors.

With a focus on fostering a positive perception of agriculture as a viable source of income, the project seeks to improve access to financial products and services for individual farmers through cooperative structures.

The women, who cut across clusters of agricultural enterprise value chains were drawn from Kachia, Zango Kataf, Jaba, Kagarko, Jama’a, and Kaura LGAs of the state.

Speaking at the IWD celebration on Friday in Zangon Kataf LGA, the State Team Lead, Kaduna Team one of Palm Valley, Iyeren Igbudu, said the organisation has projects in the community which directly affects the lives of the women.

She added that the women were left with different household responsibilities and therefore needed to inculcate the habit of individual savings or in cooperation.

Mrs Igbudu also restated their commitment to inclusivity, adding that the group carry persons with disabilities along in their activities and other marginalised groups.

She disclosed that the organisation had built 18 makeshift centres across LGAs of the state, which are equipped with rice and maize processing machines.

Mrs Igbudu added that the organisations also taught the women waste processing and briquettes making.

She urged the women to prioritise their self-development, while also calling on the society, specifically men to support them to grow beyond where the society has placed them.

One of the women, a Mega Cluster Leader, Rebecca Habila, stated the importance of savings.

She lamented that many men were incapable of shouldering their household responsibilities, where the women pick it up in order to save the families from hunger.

Ms Habila, therefore, said women needed all the encouragement and support in the society to keep up with the challenges of life.

(NAN)