WOFAN celebrates rural women, promotes modern farming as key to self-reliance, food security
As part of activities marking the International Day of Rural Women and World Food Day, the Women Farmers Advancement Network (WOFAN) has called on women across Nigeria’s rural communities to embrace modern agriculture as a pathway to self-reliance and national food security.
Speaking on Thursday during a joint commemoration organized by WOFAN members in Bagauda, Bebeji Local Government Area of Kano State, the Executive Director of WOFAN, Dr. Salamatu Garba, represented by Abdul Rashid Abdul Aziz, Finance Manager of the WOFAN-ICON2 Project, urged rural women to take advantage of WOFAN’s agricultural initiatives implemented in partnership with the Mastercard Foundation.
“My call to rural women is simple: embrace WOFAN and the modern techniques we are teaching. Become independent and contribute meaningfully to your family and your community,” he said.
“This does not mean disobeying or disrespecting your husbands; rather, it means complementing their efforts and contributing to family growth.”
He noted that the celebration of both International Day of Rural Women and World Food Day serves as a reminder that women are central to achieving global food security.
“These women are not just sitting at home; they are farming, producing food, and proving that they can do what men can do. It’s time the world recognizes their contributions,” he added.
This year’s World Food Day, themed “Water is Life, Water is Food — Leave No One Behind,” and the International Day of Rural Women, themed “Rural Women Cultivating Good Food for All,” align directly with WOFAN’s mission to empower rural women and enhance food production through technology, training, and access to finance.
“The themes of these two global days speak to our work at WOFAN. When women gain access to modern tools, digital knowledge, and improved farming practices, their role in ensuring food security becomes stronger and more visible,” Abdul Aziz said.
He emphasized that WOFAN’s approach goes beyond providing traditional tools.
“We are not giving them hoes and cutlasses; we are providing power tillers, planters, and threshers that make farming more efficient and profitable. One power tiller can do the work of ten men in an hour — that’s real transformation,” he explained.
Also speaking, Sadiya Abubakar, a Super Trainer in the Bagauda cluster, described the dual celebration as a special opportunity for rural women to reflect on their contributions to food security and rural development.
“These days are very special to us. We celebrate ourselves and the transformation WOFAN has brought through the ICON2 Project, supported by the Mastercard Foundation. Many of us have gained employment, created businesses, and even become employers,” she said.
She added that WOFAN has established marketing hubs that connect women farmers directly to markets, increasing their income and reducing post-harvest losses.
SolaceBase reports that another beneficiary, Rukayya Uba, expressed gratitude to WOFAN and the Mastercard Foundation for empowering women to become active contributors to the economy.
“Before WOFAN came, we were just sitting at home doing nothing. Today, we farm, run our own businesses, and even employ others. Alhamdulillah, Women Farmers Advancement Network changed our lives,” she said.
Similarly, Sadiya Bala Ibrahim noted that Women Farmers Advancement Network has played a vital role in educating rural women and equipping them with modern agricultural tools that have reduced physical stress and increased productivity.
“Rural women are no longer secondary players in agriculture. With access to training and technology, they are now key drivers of sustainable development,” she emphasized.
The event, attended by women farmers, agricultural stakeholders, and community leaders, highlighted the shift from traditional subsistence farming to modern agribusiness led by women.
Through the WOFAN-ICON2 Project, supported by the Mastercard Foundation, over 675,000 young people, particularly women, across nine Nigerian states are being empowered through agricultural transformation, mechanization, digital inclusion, agribusiness training, and financial access.
As the world celebrates the International Day of Rural Women and World Food Day, WOFAN’s efforts continue to stand as a model of how empowering rural women can drive food security, economic growth, and sustainable development in Nigeria.
Comments are closed.