Wife of the President, Senator Oluremi Tinubu has flagged off the Renewed Hope Initiative Agricultural Support Programme for the South West Zone of Nigeria. According to her, the launch is in fulfillment of her promise to continue to promote women, particularly farmers across the Nation.
The programme which held simultaneously in three (3) other zones, namely: North Central – Plateau State; North East – Borno State; North West- Kebbi State had 20 women farmers empowered with Five Hundred Thousand naira (N500, 000.00) each in addition to being trained on produce preservation, cultivation and others.
Mrs Tinubu said “The administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu recognizes 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.
“Today, we are supporting twenty (20) women farmers per State in the South West Zone with the sum of Five Hundred Thousand Naira (N500,000) each. To this end, a draft of Ten Million Naira (N10,000,000) per State for the South West Zone will be handed over to the wives of the governors 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”.
Senator Tinubu also announced the readiness of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture to partner with the Renewed Hope Initiative, RHI in promoting women’s involvement in Agriculture.
“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% of the beneficiaries will be young female farmers while 25% will be for our young male farmers. They will all be specially identified, trained and empowered. Also, the pre-identified eighty (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 recapitalization grants of One Hundred Thousand naira (N100, 000. 00) each to 100 People with Disabilities (PWD) in Ogun State.
“All pre-selected recipients of the grant will receive the funds today, through our RHI Coordinator for Ogun State, Her Excellency, Mrs. Bamidele Abiodun”.
She seized the opportunity to inform the gathering about some of the upcoming and ongoing activities of the Renewed Hope Initiative, RHI.
Some of them were the RHI Every Home a garden Competition in which women are encouraged to plant a garden at home.
Earlier, Mrs Tinubu met with Traditional rulers in the State where she assured them of the preparedness of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to bring the nation back to its enviable status.
The Akarigbo of Remoland, Oba Babatunde Adewale Ajayi who spoke on behalf of the monarchs applauded her interventions, adding that her home state is proud of her antecedents and contributions to national development.
