The UNESCO Read and Earn Federation (UNESCO REF), Police Officers Wife Association (POWA) and the Institute of Agriculture Research and Training (IAR&T) have collaborated to enhance students’ loan scheme through agriculture.
The President of UNESCO REF, Prince Abdulsalami Ladigbolu, who said this on Wednesday at the signing of Mission Action Plan in Abuja, said the collaboration would also prevent increase in out-of-school children.
Ladigbolu said that the partners had showed commitment to contribute their quota towards actualising substantial attainment of the United Nations global goals before or by 2030, with emphasis on goal 2.
He added that this also aimed at proffering strategic solutions to support the president to mitigate food insecurity in the country.
According to him, agriculture was the mainstay of Nigeria’s economy before the discovery of crude oil.
“As such, from 1960 to 1969, the sector accounted for an average of 57 per cent of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and generated 64.5 per cent of export earnings.
“Recognising the key role we play to agriculture, the launching of Young Women in Agriculture Champions in partnership with POWA and IAR&T could not have come because food insecurity has become a major issue.
“The Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) estimates that women make up 43 per cent of the agriculture workforce globally.
“This number goes up to over 60 per cent in least developed countries.
“In spite of the key role they play in agricultural development, women have less access to technologies, information, resources and finance for their agriculture activities across the globe,’’ he said.
Ladigbolu expressed optimism that the transformative approach would enhance the achievement of the goal in strengthening smallholders and women’s livelihood.
According to him, it will also strengthen the students’ loan scheme introduced by the Federal Government in such a way that students could have access to education.
On her part, the President of POWA, Mrs Elizabeth Egbetokun, pledged to play a pivotal role towards easy attainment of the young women in agriculture goals.
Egbetokun, who stressed the importance of the synergy, said it would give women a competitive advantage to embed high quality exposure to becoming more productive to the society.
“My commitment is to rewrite the history of the association by working closely with relevant key stakeholders who share our priority and aspirations such as UNESCO REF and IAR&T.
“This is no doubt a right step in the right direction, to foster the actualisation of the United Nations goal 2.
“This hinges on the eradication of hunger through a strategic and dynamic approach to boost food production by enhancing the agricultural sector workforce through our women,’’ she said.
Also, the Executive Director, IAR&T, Prof. Veronica Obatolu, said the institute would work with partners to actualise its objective of providing strategic means to contribute towards preventing the increase of out-of school children.
Obatolu said the institute would also support the smooth implementation of newly introduced students’ loan using agriculture, to ensure national security. (NAN)