Olaseinde Gbenga
The Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (FMARD) has declared its commitment towards the implementation of the National Gender Policy on Agriculture.
A statement by the ministry’s Information Officer, Mrs Modupe Olatunji, revealed that the Minister, Dr Mohammad Abubakar, pledged the support when he received the National Gender Steering Committee, led by the Actionaid Nigeria Country Director, Ms Ene Obi, in Abuja at the weekend.
The minister recalled that, in 2021, the ministry inaugurated the committee on the implementation of a policy to mainstream gender into climate change for people with disabilities and access to inputs for women.
Abubakar commended the committee for its achievements in creating visibility and awareness, especially in translating the national gender policy in local languages for the domestication of the policy in some states.
The minister informed that the commitment to implement eight out of the 11 objectives of the policy, which aligned with the mandate of the committee, had been forwarded to the World Bank through the Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning for necessary actions.
According to him, the onerous responsibility of adopting strategies for a seamless implementation of the objectives of the policy is to create awareness on the policy for positive outcomes.
Speaking, the Director, Special Duties, FMARD, Mrs. Fausat Lawal, who was represented by the Deputy Director, Special Duties, Mr Akinrinlo Taiwo, said the focus of the gender policy was to mainstream women in the extension service system and improve their responsiveness in agricultural service delivery.
On her part, ActionAid Country Director explained that the national gender policy was an assertive document which recognised the limitation of growth and development of the agricultural sector.
Furthermore, Obi recalled how female farmers had been supported by different ministries, through Actionaid Nigeria, with agricultural produce and training programmes across the states at subsidised rates.