The Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture has said Nigerians who are interested in moving the economy forward should patronise women and made-in-Nigeria products.
The National Chairperson of NACCIMA business women group, Aisha Abubakar, disclosed this on Friday to mark the 2022 edition of the Nigerian International Women Entrepreneur Exhibition in Lagos.
Abubakar said, “We’re in a situation whereby we keep saying look inwards and we’re very happy to say that a lot of our women are becoming producers. We want everyone who is interested in moving this economy forward to ensure that they patronise women and our made-in-Nigeria product but more importantly, to encourage women to play a greater role in the entire agricultural value chain.”
The National Chairperson stressed the need for women to play a greater role in agriculture, adding that a lot of benefits had been gained through the agro sector.
She said, “Women need to play a greater role in agriculture; women need to have positive input. We are the ones feeding the nation. Whatever we use today is from the farm.
“Due to what we do, a lot of our women have access to market, funding, capacity building and networking. Many of them have also had the opportunity to travel abroad and take part in their exhibition and trade fair events. A lot of our women have agricultural products in the areas of cosmetics, spices, adires and ankraras.”
The National President, NACCIMA, Ide Udeagbala, represented by the Vice President of NACCIMA, Kola Akosile, stated that agriculture was an important engine for growth and poverty reduction, adding that women should intensify their efforts at promoting agricultural production.
He said, “As agriculture is an important engine for growth and poverty reduction, the sector seems to be underperforming because women in urban and rural economies face constraints that reduce economic productivity. Although it is true that women are filling important positions in the sector, there is still massive visibility in the agricultural Index gap that spreads across the state and the country at large.
“In view of these challenges women face in the area of agriculture, production and processing, let me use this medium to encourage our women to intensify their efforts in promoting agricultural production through made in Nigeria product as inscribed in this year’s theme, ‘encouraging women in Agriculture and made in Nigeria products for economic growth.”
