The wife of Gombe State Governor, Hajiya Dr. Asma’u Inuwa Yahaya, has on Wednesday officially launched the Federal Government’s Women Agricultural Support Program in the state, an initiative of Nigeria’s First Lady, Sen. Remi Tinubu, under her Renewed Hope Initiative pet project.
The program, designed to address food insecurity and empower women in agriculture, aims to enhance food production and promote economic stability.
At the launch, Hajiya Asma’u emphasized the program’s focus on equipping women across the 114 wards in Gombe State with farming techniques, particularly in potato cultivation.
“This initiative is part of the food security revolution of President Bola Tinubu’s administration. It aims to promote women’s inclusion in agriculture and transform the lives of the beneficiaries while contributing to food sufficiency,” she said.
She encouraged the women to take full advantage of the program, serve as role models, and extend the knowledge gained through step-down training in their communities.
“I believe this program will empower you to produce food not just for your families but for the entire state. I expect multiplier effects when you return home to engage others,” she added.
To ensure continuity, Hajiya Asma’u announced the creation of a WhatsApp platform for participants to share progress and learning until the harvest. She also declared a prize for the best-performing participant at the end of the farming season.
Dr. Ahmed Bello, from the Federal University of Kashere, delivered a keynote address highlighting the challenges women face in agriculture, including limited access to resources and gender-based discrimination. He lauded the initiative, noting that innovative techniques like sack farming could address these challenges.
Alhaji Rabiu Abdullahi, Managing Director of Toro Garden Limited, provided practical training on sweet and Irish potato farming and encouraged participants to make organic fertilizer from household waste.
Stakeholders at the event, including APC Women Leader Lumbi Abubakar, Billiri Local Government Chairperson Mrs. Eglah Bitrus, and the wife of ALGON Chairman, Aishatu Aliyu Haruna, commended the First Lady’s foresight and urged women to embrace agriculture fully for food sufficiency and improved nutrition.
