The federal government has launched an ambitious agricultural initiative, "Project Earn From The Soil," targeting over 500,000 smallholder farmers, fisherfolk, agribusinesses, and coastal communities in the South-South region.
The project was spearheaded by the special assistant to the president on Community Engagement for the South-South Region, Hon. Gift Johnbull.
During the flag-off of the agricultural initiative and the domestication of the Women Economic Empowerment (WEE) Policy, Port Harcourt, River State, Johnbull, emphasised leveraging the region's vast agricultural potential to increase food production.
She noted that the project leverages cooperative formation and commodity-based clustering to boost regional productivity.
Johnbull said: "This initiative is part of the government's broader strategy to empower women through agriculture and improve food security in the South-South region. It has already been launched in Cross River, Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, and Edo states, with the federal government targeting over 500,000 smallholder farmers, fisherfolk, agribusinesses, and coastal communities in the region.
"Today, we reaffirm our commitment to empowering the women of the South-South region, particularly those who depend on agriculture for their livelihoods," Hon. Johnbull said. 'Project Earn From The Soil' is not just about farming; it's about creating opportunities, lifting farmers out of poverty, and ensuring that women are at the forefront of our agricultural success."
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She stressed women's crucial role in driving agricultural transformation and fostering sustainable economic growth.
She also said that the project adopts a commodity-based approach to clustering farmers, with stakeholders like Nexim Bank, the Bank of Agriculture, Zenith Bank, the Rural Electrification Agency (REA), and UN Women working collaboratively to ensure the entire agricultural value chain is considered.
She added, "This project is different from past initiatives. We are focused on building a sustainable foundation for women in agriculture, and the President himself is overseeing its progress to ensure that the benefits directly reach those who need them the most.
"We are here to ensure that no woman is left behind. The women of Rivers State have shown incredible resilience and potential, and this project will provide them with the tools they need to succeed. Our goal is to see women leading the agricultural sector, producing enough for their families and the entire nation.
"By organising farmers into cooperatives, the initiative aims to strengthen grassroots structures, addressing the productive challenges faced by local agricultural communities."
In his keynote address, the representative of the Bank of Agriculture, Anosike Felix Onyebuchi, reiterated the bank's commitment to providing necessary resources and support to ensure the project's long-term sustainability.
Other stakeholders, including the representative of the Niger Delta Basin Authority, Dr Roland T.G, also pledged to advance the economic prospects of women in Rivers State.
This holistic approach allows the project to tailor its support to the specific needs of farmers, with implementing partners offering targeted assistance based on the commodities produced by local farmers.
