Attai Audu, Jos
The Minister of Budget and Economic Planning Atiku Abubakar Bagudu has declared opened a one day workshop on Women Empowerment in Agri food Governance (WEAGOV) Study Dissemination Workshop and Policy dissemination event of a new study that assesses and tracks women’s
empowerment in agrifood governance in Nigeria.
Bagudu while declaring open the workshop which was held at Exclusive Serene Hotels and Suites, Wuye, the Minister who was a special guest at the event, said the workshop was very important to his ministry in the areas of tools of the study and measurement tools which his ministry often uses to refine their planning frame work.
According to him, his ministry was mandated to look at gender issues,gender mainstreaming to ensure their budget reflects, appreciate to issues to of gender balance in particular at this event, saying his ministry was not in competition with Federal ministry of agriculture and food security.
Bagudu hinted that his ministry is the custodian of our consensus where they want it to be in future which is documented in Nigeria various plans agenda 2050 national development plan- medium plan .
He stressed that tools like this can give a place of pride to women in Nigeria, adding that President Ahmed Bola Tinubu administration’s 8 point agenda could only be achieved through genda mainstreaming .
According to him, the 2024 budget that President Ahmed Bola Tinubu recently presented to the national Assembly, had in it one hundred billion naira Nigeria Agric. Fund that can be accessed only by organised groups .
He blamed most of the conflicts in Nigeria and other parts of the globe on conflicts of wants .
He added that the Bokoharam and banditry, non inclusion,changes of environment makes Women folks poor .
He called on all stakeholders to make room for security and peace to take its pride of place in the society.
Earlier, the Country leader International food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) Dr Kwaw Andam in his address, said they have been working in Nigeria since 2007 on these issues With the support of USAID and working closely with Michigan University.
According to him, after 15 years, they have recorded impressive record in carrying out research in many countries, stressing that what has been speaking for them is the partnership they have built over the years.
Dr Andam added that they were happy to be a key development partner with the Nigerian government, other development partners and the new partners.
On his part, President APRNet, Professor Anthony O Onoja said gender is not only about Women but men as well saying he was happy for the presence of experts in agric.field to have them gathered at this event to brainstorm.
According to him women consist of about sixty percent in Agric business, adding that food is a necessity and as such any country that throws away food would be in a mess .
He stressed that climate change affects farming and like wise climate change brings about hunger.
Similarly,Dr Catherine Ragasa gave a talk on WEAGOV tool and it’s development and evolution to the workshop participants while Dr Stella Adejoh gave a talk on data collection process and the credibility of the Pilot study results.
Dr Olugbenga Koledoye and Dr Chinasa Onyenekwe made their presentations on understanding the pilot Study results and their relevance for their works and organizations and as well on the Participants Understanding of the pilot Study results through their relevance for their works and organizations and as well of policy implications and way forward by Professor Onoja and Dr Ragasa.
It would be recalled that the goal of the research study was to help the agrifood
ministries, civil society.
organizations, policymakers, private sector organizations, and international
donors identify gaps and opportunities to improve women’s voice and empowerment within the agrifood policy process.
Data and insights were collected from 141 agrifood organizations and 241
experts in the agrifood policy process in January to March 2023 this year while Secondary data and administrative
data were compiled and analyzed.
The data and results were discussed and validated by a team of 10 experts from the agrifood ministries, universities, and steering committee on the national gender policy
in agriculture.
The study was based on the new framework and tool developed by the International Food Policy Research
Institute and partners called Women’s Empowerment in Agrifood Governance (WEAGov) assessment
tool that aims to measure women’s voice and empowerment in national-level agrifood policy process
and contribute metrics to measure women’s political empowerment as part of the Sustainable
Development Goals (SDGs).
The workshop was Organises by International food Policy Research Institute (IPRI) in conjunction with Initiative On Agenda Equality (CGIAR) and Agricultural Policy Research Network ( APRNet).
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