Nigeria, IFAD highlight importance of empowering rural women

The Federal Government of Nigeria, in collaboration with the International Fund for Agricultural Development, has recently highlighted the urgent need to invest in this demographic at the 2024 International Day of Rural Women Summit.

IFAD-Value Chain Development Programme Knowledge Management and Communications Coordinator, Mrs Vera Onyeaka-Onyilo, disclosed this in a statement on Thursday.

The event, held on October 15 at the African Union headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, brought together key stakeholders focused on empowering women in agriculture.

The summit, organised by the African Union and development partners, revolved around the theme: “Empowering Women Living in Rural Areas through Education and Access to Technology: Bridging the Gap for Inclusive and Sustainable Agri-Food Systems in Africa.”

A panelist from the FGN/IFAD-Assisted Value Chain Development Programme, Mrs. Patricia Achii emphasised the importance of educational initiatives.

“With the support of VCDP, I established an adult literacy training centre for women in my community, and about 1,000 women have graduated from this literacy class,” Achii stated.

She noted that these women are now empowered to manage their farming activities as businesses, reinforcing the idea that education and technology access are critical.

Similarly, a beneficiary of the IFAD-Livelihood Improvement Family Enterprises Niger-Delta programme, Mrs. Temilade Ebiware shared her success in aquaculture.

“Capacity building by LIFE-ND on climate-smart agriculture has equipped me with the knowledge to adapt to climate change in my business,” she remarked during her panel discussion.

Country Director of IFAD Nigeria, Mrs. Dede Ekoue highlighted the organisation’s efforts to support smallholders, particularly rural women, in increasing their incomes and market access.

“We are promoting key initiatives such as the Gender Action Learning Systems to achieve a more equitable balance in workloads and sharing of economic benefits between women and men,” Ekoue explained.

She added that the GALS methodology has empowered women to have a voice in their households and communities.

The event was also attended by the Commissioner for Agriculture, Rural Development, Blue Economy, and Sustainable Environment at the African Union, Ambassador Josefa Sacko.

She underlined the vital role of women in Africa’s agricultural landscape, stating, “Despite these contributions, they face considerable barriers, including limited access to education, productive resources, and political representation.”


Sacko affirmed the AU’s commitment to working with stakeholders to develop a comprehensive policy framework for women in agriculture, which will inform the establishment of the Platform for African Women in Agriculture.

The summit concluded with a call-to-action roadmap and a marketplace exhibition showcasing best practices from IFAD projects and other participants.

Vera Onyeaka-Onyilo added that this platform fostered networking among rural women and strategic actors, promoting the exchange of best practices to empower women and youth for sustainable food security and improved incomes.