First Lady Oluremi Tinubu has flagged off the Renewed Hope Initiative Agricultural Support Programme for the South-West region of the country.

According to the First Lady, the launch is in fulfilment of her promise to continue to promote women, particularly farmers across the country.

The programme which held simultaneously in three other zones – North-Central (Plateau State), North-East (Borno State), and North-West (Kebbi State) – had 20 women farmers empowered with N500,000 each in addition to being trained on produce preservation and cultivation, among others, in Ogun State on Tuesday, April 16, 2024.

Tinubu said: “The administration of President Bola Tinubu recognises the pivotal role that agriculture plays in achieving sustainable development and ensuring food sufficiency.

“Therefore, the Renewed Hope Initiative’s commitment to supporting women farmers nationwide aligns with the broader national agenda to strengthen the agricultural sector.

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“Today, we are supporting 20 women farmers per state in the South-West zone with the sum of N500,000 each. To this end, a draft of N10 million per state for the South-West zone will be handed over to the First Ladies of Ekiti, Lagos, Ogun, Ondo, Osun, and Oyo states who are also RHI State Coordinators for onward disbursement to all beneficiaries in their respective states.

“These farmers are those in the agrarian sector, animal husbandry, poultry, and fish farming.”

She further announced the readiness of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture to partner with the Renewed Hope Initiative in promoting women’s involvement in agriculture.

The First Lady added: “In a short while, the Renewed Hope Initiative will be collaborating with the Federal Ministry of Agriculture to empower potential farmers.

“In this phase, 75 per cent of the beneficiaries will be young female farmers while 25 per cent will be for our young male farmers. They will all be specially identified, trained and empowered.

“Also, the pre-identified 80 women farmers in each state for our agricultural support programme will be carried along.”

The event was a two-in-one, where the First Lady gave out recapitalisation grants of N100,000 each to 100 People with Disabilities (PWD) in Ogun State.

The Star