AANI, foundation empower 200 women, youths in Kaduna agricultural drive

By Okeoghene Akubuike

The Agricultural Agenda Nigeria Initiative (AANI), in partnership with the Dogara Gyet Foundation (DGF), has unveiled an Agricultural Intervention Support Programme to empower women and youths in Kaduna State.

This is contained in a joint statement issued in Abuja on Monday by the Chairman of DGF, Dogara Gyet, and the National President of AANI, Ephraim Audu.

The initiative, implemented under the Outgrow Hunger Project, targets 10 communities in Kachia and Jaba Local Government Areas of the state, in support of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 1 and 2 on poverty eradication and zero hunger.

According to the statement, the first phase of the programme has empowered no fewer than 200 widows and young people engaged in agricultural production.

Beneficiaries received training in agribusiness development, entrepreneurship, climate-smart agriculture, climate change resilience, and agricultural value chain opportunities.

The training was designed to strengthen participants’ technical and business skills, enhance their income-generating capacity, and promote sustainable farming practices resilient to climate-related challenges.

As part of sustainability measures, the beneficiaries were organised into cooperative clusters to improve access to microfinance, agricultural inputs, mechanisation support, and other development financing opportunities.

The statement noted that the cooperative model would promote collective growth, improve market access, and strengthen the economic resilience of smallholder farmers.

AANI and DGF reaffirmed their commitment to combating poverty, enhancing food security, creating sustainable livelihoods, and transforming rural communities through inclusive agricultural development.

They stressed that empowering women and youths remained critical to building a resilient agricultural sector and achieving sustainable socio-economic development.

“The initiative represents a significant milestone in nurturing prosperous farming communities, reducing hunger, and creating pathways to economic self-reliance for vulnerable populations across Kaduna State and beyond,” the statement added.

“Together, we can outgrow hunger, eradicate poverty, and build a future of shared prosperity through agriculture.” (NAN)

Edited by Tosin Kolade