News in Brief:
– FG, during a workshop in Enugu, urged women farmers and people with special needs in the South-East to adopt sack farming and home gardening, as they have the potential to boost household and national food security.
– The initiative, part of the First Lady’s Renewed Hope Initiative, included hands-on training and distribution of starter packs to participants from all five states in the region.
The Federal Government has called on women farmers in Nigeria’s South-East to adopt sack farming and home gardening as innovative solutions to boost food production and tackle food insecurity in the country.
Dr. Marcus Ogunbiyi, Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, made this appeal on Wednesday during a workshop in Enugu aimed at sensitising small-scale women farmers and people with special needs across the region.
The workshop is part of the First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Initiative (RHI), under the Women Support Programmes (WASP) and her pet project, Every Woman a Garden. The initiative aims to empower women and vulnerable groups with practical skills for backyard food cultivation.
The Permanent Secretary, who addressed participants through the Enugu Zonal Director, Chief Nkannebe Ugochukwu, highlighted that sack farming and home gardens require minimal space, making them suitable for both urban and rural households.
Dr. Ogunbiyi stressed that these methods can revolutionise food production in Nigeria.
“By adopting these practices, you will not only improve your household food security, but also contribute to Nigeria’s food sufficiency,” he said.
Acknowledging the vital role of women in agriculture, he described them as the backbone of the sector. He also reaffirmed the Ministry’s commitment to inclusivity in government agricultural programmes.
“We recognise the importance of inclusivity of people with special needs and we are committed to ensuring that our programmes are accessible and beneficial to all,” he said.
Mr. Victor Ngwu, Permanent Secretary of the Enugu State Ministry of Agriculture, commended the Federal Ministry for bringing the programme to Enugu, urging participants to take the training seriously as agriculture remains a priority for the state government.
Participants from the five South-East states—Enugu, Imo, Anambra, Abia, and Ebonyi—expressed appreciation for the training. Mrs. Ifeyinwa Ogbuonya from Imo State described the workshop as an ‘eye opener,’ while Mrs. Nwanoma Nnenna from Abia said the knowledge gained would help improve her farming techniques and productivity.
The event concluded with the distribution of starter packs to women farmers and people with special needs, equipping them to begin sack farming and home gardening in their communities
