The Federal Government has launched a bespoke Urban Agriculture Training Programme in Lagos State, positioning women at the centre of efforts to strengthen food security, create sustainable livelihoods, and build resilient urban food systems.

The initiative, introduced through the Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Food Security in collaboration with Read and Earn for UNESCO (UNESCO REF) and the Police Officers’ Wives Association (POWA), Lagos State Chapter, is designed to equip women with practical skills, access to markets, and steady income opportunities through urban farming.

Speaking at the formal inauguration, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Food Security, Ms Yejide Ogundipe, stated that women farmers must be recognised as indispensable contributors to Nigeria’s food security efforts. 

She explained that the programme integrates innovation, sustainability, and financial inclusion to ensure urban agriculture moves beyond subsistence into a viable economic activity.

The programme, themed “Seed of Empowerment: Growing Women in Lagos,” equips participants with practical skills, agricultural inputs, and market access to thrive in urban farming. 

It aligns with the National Agricultural Technology Innovation Policy (NATIP) and is directly linked to the ₦500 billion Offtake Guarantee Fund under the Produce for Lagos Programme launched in July 2025.

According to organisers, participants are guaranteed income every two to three weeks, ensuring that empowerment translates into measurable financial stability for households. 

Plans are already underway to scale the programme in 2026, with a target of reaching at least 120,000 women across all local governments and LCDAs in Lagos State.

President of UNESCO REF, Mr Abdulsalami Ladigbolu-Oranmiyan, described the initiative as a long-term empowerment strategy rather than a charitable intervention. 

He noted that capacity building enables women to achieve financial independence while strengthening community food systems and generational impact. 

POWA Lagos State Chairperson, Mrs Risqat Jimoh, revealed that participants receive Tier 2 certification, granting subsidised access for their children to future agricultural programmes. 

Each beneficiary was also provided with seeds to immediately begin hands-on farming.

For beneficiaries like youth corps member Aisha Abiola Sanni, the programme offers an alternative income stream and a foundation for post-service financial planning.

Supported by partners including NIHORT, IAR&T, Op3n Labs USA, and Women’s Space USA, the programme is positioned as both an agricultural and social intervention, linking food security, youth employment, women’s empowerment, and crime reduction through improved household incomes.

Source: This Day
Image Credit: UNESCO