The Special Assistant to the President on Community Engagement, South-South, Gift Johnbull, has launched ‘Project Earn From the Soil’, an agricultural initiative to empower women farmers and enhance food security in South-South Nigeria in Rivers State on Tuesday.
Johnbull said the programme designed to promote cooperative farming and commodity-based clustering to increase productivity would support over 500,000 smallholder farmers, fisherfolk, and agribusinesses in the South-South.The initiative is active in other states, including Cross River, Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, and Edo, with the primary focus on improving food production and economic empowerment for women, the statement read.
Johnbull said, “Today, we reaffirm our commitment to empowering the women of the South-South region, particularly those who depend on agriculture for their livelihoods.”
She added that “‘Project Earn From The Soil’ is not just about farming; it’s about lifting farmers out of poverty and ensuring that women are at the forefront of our agricultural success.” Organisations backing the project include Nexim Bank, the Bank of Agriculture, Zenith Bank, the Rural Electrification Agency, and UN Women.
The presidential assistant noted that the ‘Project Earn From The Soil’ initiative is different from previous agricultural programs, as it bears a stronger focus on sustainability and long-term growth.
“We are focused on building a sustainable foundation for women in agriculture, and the President himself is overseeing its progress to ensure that the benefits directly reach those who need them the most,” she asserted.
A representative of the Bank of Agriculture, Anosike Onyebuchi assured of the BoA’s commitment to supporting the project and providing resources to ensure its long-term success. Other stakeholders, including the Niger Delta Basin Authority, through its representative, Dr Roland T.G., pledged to contribute to the economic empowerment of women farmers in Rivers State.
The representatives acknowledged the initiative’s aim to improve the livelihoods of local farmers by organising them into cooperatives, thereby addressing key challenges in agricultural production and ensuring that women farmers can contribute significantly
to the nation’s food security.
