A total of 80 laptops have been distributed by the Federal Government to female farmers who were trained in Information and Communication Technology and modern agricultural practices while also empowering widows and the vulnerable in the South-South region.
This was disclosed by the Director-General, National Centre for Women Development, Dr Asabe Bashir, during the training in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, in which he stated that the beneficiaries were drawn from various farmers association across the South-South.
Bahir,while speaking at the event with the theme ‘Engendering agricultural innovation through ICT,’ said the training was designed to expose women to new techniques in agriculture that could help farmers in improving on their agricultural practices and methods.
“Agriculture employs over 75 per cent of the country’s workforce, yet the demand for agricultural produce keeps increasing as the population swells while many of the small-scale farmers are not able to meet up with the demands,” she said.
According to Bashir, as Nigeria is predicted to become the world’s third most populous nation by year 2050, agriculture should be embraced by all to be able to feed such a growing population.
In her remarks, the wife of the state Governor, Dr Martha Emmanuel, commended the Federal Government for complementing the efforts of the state in empowering female farmers and training them to meet global standard.
She said, “Information and Communication Technology is a vehicle that drives development in all sector of the economy, including agriculture.
“It enables farmers use research data and adopts technology necessary to accelerate growth in the agricultural sector.
“With many being equipped with this technology and knowledge, the goal of the Federal Government to lift 100 million Nigerians out of poverty in 10 years will be realized and farmers will be able to contribute their quota to the economic growth and development of the country”
Emmanuel, who was represented by the Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Welfare, Dr Ini Adiakpan, pledged to continue partnering the Federal Government in programs that would add value to women and improve agricultural sector in the state.
The Commissioner for Agriculture, Dr Glory Edet, said the state had continued to boost food sufficiency due to her agricultural revolution, urging the farmers to make good use of the knowledge gathered from the training for the benefit of the state and country on the long run.
