The Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Senator Aisha Alhassan has revealed that failure by successive governments to improve agribusiness in Nigeria, despite its prerequisite for overall economic growth, was as a result of the low support of women, especially those at grassroots level.
According to a statement from the ministry, Senator Alhassan made the assessment during her courtesy visit to the Emir of Kano, where she sought support for the ministry’s drive towards the implementation of laws and policies that would encourage the welfare and wellbeing of women, children, Persons with Disabilities (PWDs), the elderly, and other vulnerable groups especially in Kano State.
The minister, who was represented by her senior special assistant, Engineer Abubakar Umar, emphasised that motivating female participation in the agriculture sector is beneficial to its growth and sustainability. She stated that “Kano State has been a commercial and agricultural state, and is known for the production of groundnut pyramids in the 70s. Most indigenes of Kano depend on agriculture for their livelihood, such that Kano State is the most involved in irrigation in the country.”