To ensure the production of quality agricultural produce in Nigeria, the French government has invested €200,000 to train rural women on best practices to lead the agri-food sub-sector.
This was disclosed in a statement by the French Embassy in Nigeria following a two-day brainstorming event at the embassy in Abuja.
According to the statement, since the Support to Women Entrepreneurship in the Agrifood sector in Nigeria (SEFAN/SWEAN) project was launched on 1st of September 2020, a lot has been achieved, including the training of 300 women from Oyo and Kaduna States in agribusiness.
The SEFAN/SWEAN project, expected to end on 31 August 2022, is funded by the French Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs through the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) to expand the skills development of women agribusiness entrepreneurs in Nigeria.
Also, the project, implemented in Oyo and Kaduna States is aimed at greater empowerment, dynamic inclusion in market networks, and opening up to local and international markets for women agripreneurs.
The statement noted that the SEFAN/SWEAN project would create value, revenue, jobs and growth that will attract more youth to the agricultural sector while giving them not only modern technical skills but also pride and enthusiasm in being a farmer.
Also, the statement revealed that there is a plan to select 50 more women to be trained in becoming trainers and to pass on knowledge to more than 1000 beneficiaries.
The statement read, “The next step from this meeting is a collaboration with the French network of Technical Education in Agriculture to modernize the curricula of the agricultural technical institutions in Oyo and Kaduna.
“Then spread the modules to other states and at the country level, by promoting their integration into the Agriculture Technical Vocational Education and Training (ATVET) schools and centres.”