By Justina Auta
The Ministry of Women Affairs is to distribute 26,000 tonnes of hybrid rice to rural women to cut down the cost of rice, boost food production and food security.
Mrs Uju Kennedy-Ohanenye, Minister of Women Affairs, made this known, while briefing newsmen ahead of the 2023 International Day for Rural Women celebrated every Oct. 15.
”A Chinese company donated 26,000 tonnes of hybrid rice to the ministry,” she said.
She called on all women to support the farmers with tools to reduce the labour burden of rural women as that will help them to have more farm produce.
The minister also noted that First Lady Remi Tinubu will share mechanised farming tools worth 151 million to rural women.
Earlier, Mr Mohammed Idris, the Acting Permanent Secretary of the ministry said the event marks a significant day for rural women worldwide as it helps to showcase the critical role and contribution of rural women, including indigenous women, in enhancing agriculture and rural development, improving food security and eradicating rural poverty.
“Available evidence points to the fact that in the world over, women play a vital role in the rural economy.
”They are involved in crop production and livestock care, provide food, water and fuel for their families, and carry out other activities to diversify their family’s livelihoods.
”Rural women are active agents of economic, social change and environmental protection.”
Idris, further sympathised with rural women and their families whose lives and properties were affected by flood and armed conflict in different parts of the country.
Also, Ms Beatrice Eyong, UN Country Representative to Nigeria and ECOWAS, reiterated the commitment of the world body to addressing challenges affecting women, especially the rural women.
“We are working on our Climate smart agriculture that is digitally assisted.
”We want to make sure that issues about environment, low productivity, low soil productivity are handled in such a way that production and production goes up.”
On her part, Lami Adamu-Lau, National President of the National Council of Women Societies (NCWS) called on the ministry to ensure judicious distribution to the rural women.
It was suggested that Oct. 15 be celebrated as “World Rural Women’s Day,”
“World Rural Women’s Day” has been celebrated, primarily by civil society, across the world for over a decade.
The theme is “Rural Women Cultivating Good Food for All.”
This day, established by the General Assembly in its resolution 62/138 of Dec. 18 2007, recognizes “the critical role and contribution of rural women, including indigenous women, in enhancing agricultural and rural development, improving food security and eradicating rural poverty.”
The idea of honouring rural women with a special day was put forward by international NGOs at the Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing in 1995.
