The National Agricultural Land Development Authority (NALDA) says it is ready to support any initiative aimed at empowering women and youths to achieve food security for the nation.
The federal government agriculture intervention intervention agency, which gave this as its reason for supporting the Renewed Hope Initiative of the wife of the President, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, said it remains committed to Nigeria attaining food security through the empowerment of women and youths.
The Renewed Hope Initiative of the first Lady Mrs. Oluremi Tinubu was flagged-off in Owerri, the Imo state Capital, on Wednesday.
The programme is a grassroots scheme designed for the betterment of Nigerians across the six geopolitical zones of the country.
The scheme which aims at empowering women-farmers and tackling poverty is in partnership with the National Agricultural Land Development Authority (NALDA).
The First Lady Mrs. Tinubu in her address said the Renewed Hope Initiative’s commitment to supporting women farmers aligns with a broader national agenda to strengthen the agricultural sector.
She said the President Tinubu administration recognizes the pivotal role that agriculture plays in achieving sustainable development and ensuring food sufficiency.
She said that the initiative is a 2-in-1 programme to support women-farmers nationwide.
The First Lady explained that the initiative will support 20 women-farmers per state with the sum of N500,000 each making it a total of N10 million per state.
Mrs. Tinubu presented bank-drafts of N10 million each to the five Southeast First Ladies.
The Executive Secretary and Chief Executive Officer of NALDA, Prince Paul Ikonne in his speech said NALDA was committed to partnering with the First Lady in encouraging women, especially the young ones, in agribusiness.
He assured the First Lady that NALDA will go with her all the way across the country to make sure they touch the lives of the people.
According to him, “NALDA has made provision for two million women under this programme, supporting and working with the wife of the President.”
In her welcome address, the First Lady of Imo State, Barrister (Mrs.) Chioma Uzodimma, and zonal chairman South-east, Renewed Hope Initiative, thanked the President and the First Lady for their support and commitment towards the success of the initiative, noting that it signifies a profound commitment to the empowerment and upliftment of women across the nation.
“As we all know, the empowerment of women fuels the progress and building of a more inclusive, prosperous community,” she said.
The highlight of the event was the showcase of the different agricultural inputs which were later distributed to the beneficiaries from the South-east.
Beneficiaries of the scheme, numbering 200 were provided with a kit that consists of Maize seeds, Liquid fertilisers and herbicides enough to cater for one hectare of maize farm.
Total targeted hectarage for this particular group is 200 hectares.
Another group of 200 beneficiaries got 25, two weeks old poultry birds, one battery cage and three bags of feed that would last till the birds mature.
The event brought dignitaries from all walks of life, including the wife of the Vice-President, Hajia Nana Shettima, as well as the wife of the Senate President, Mrs. Ekaette Unoma Akpabio, wives of all the southeast State Governors, wife of the Chief of Staff to the President, Mrs. Salamatu Gbajabiamila, wives of Service Chiefs among other women leaders.
Also in attendance were traditional rulers, industrialists, women cooperatives groups, stakeholders and beneficiaries of the scheme from all the South-east states.