INTERNATIONAL DAY FOR RURAL WOMEN 2025

Guess where I spent my time on International Day for Rural Women, 15th October 2005...I was with the Minister for Livestock Development - Hon. Idi Mukhtar Maiha, Minister of State for Agriculture & Food Security - Dr. Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi, and Mandate Secretary Women Affairs Secretariat (WAS-FCTA) - Dr. Adedayo Benjamins-Laniyi, Mandate Secretary Agriculture & Rural Development FCTA - Hon. Ango Abdullahi Suleiman and SSA to the President on Food Security - Mrs. Ogundipe at a semi-rural setting in Abuja. The theme for this year's celebration is 'Celebrating our rural women, nourishing our nation'. The hardworking women were celebrated at the Women's Demonstration Farm (WDF), Kuje, Abuja. The children of Government Secondary School (GSS), Kuje, located almost opposite the Demonstration Farm were also beneficiaries of the Ministers' largesse...

Dr. Dayo Oluyemi-Kusa @ the Women's Demonstration Farm (MujeKuje Project), Prison Road, Kuje. On International Day for Rural Women, the following projects were highlighted: 1st Lady's Every Home A Garden (EHAG); Young Farmers' Club (YFC); etc.

Dr. Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi talked about the 'Urban Agriculture Programme' (UAP) of the Ministry of Agriculture & Food Security while noting that the women's MujeKuje project fits into it. There's also the Renewed Hope Initiative Agricultural Technology Programme (RATAP). The YFC is in many Government Colleges in Nigeria. This programme catches them young for the agricultural value chain. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu emphasises the fact that no one should go to bed hungry. Food must always be available, accessible and affordable. We encourage food production at all levels. He then admonished all men at the venue to stand up and clap for the women for all they do in the agriculture sector. Whatever you give to women, they'll double it...

Hon. Idi Mukhtar Maiha was at both the Demonstration Farm and GSS Kuje. It's not enough to plant vegetables, etc. You also need livestock (cattle, goats, etc.) for you to have a balanced diet. What the women are doing can also be called 'Family Farming'. Farming today is not about the size of the land but also about the effective and efficient use of technology. I shall provide both the Demonstration Farm and GSS Kuje quality grass for planting. The grass can be used for feeding livestock and can also be sold for profit. Apart from what the Ministry of Agriculture & Food Security is distributing today, expect grass and livestck from the Ministry of Livestock Development.

L-R: Hon. Idi Muktar Maiha (Minister of Livestock Development in white agbada); Dr. Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi (Minister of State for Agriculture & Food Security in dark green short sleeve shirt & face cap) & Dr. Adedayo Benjamins-Laniyi (MS-WAS) @ GSS Kuje farm...

Mrs. Ogundipe the First Lady is passionate about agriculture. In fact, with the abundance of natural resources in our clime, we should feed ourselves and citizens in neighbouring countries.

It was indeed a great outing for the women and children with two prominent Ministers and two vibrant Mandate Secretaries of FCTA engaging with them one-on-one. The Minister of Agriculture distibuted some farm implements to the women and children while promising that more would follow. The Minister of Livestock Development would also send farm implements, livestock and good quality grass. The Mandate Secretary, WAS-FCTA, who resurcitated the Women's Demonstration Farm was also on hand to support in the Company of her Agriculture & Rural Development (ARDS) counterpart.

We shal continue to monitor the progress of the Women's Demonstration Farm & GSS Kuje. When all the promises of the Ministers arefulfilled, the sky would not be the limit for the recipients...

L-R: Dr. Adedayo Benjamins-Laniyi & Dr. Dayo Oluyemi-Kusa @ Women's Demonstration Farm (WDF), Kuje on International Day of Rural Women

Dr. Dayo Oluyemi-Kusa with the Women's Demonstration Farm, Kuje (a.k.a. MujeKuje) in the background