Benue Govt Reaffirms Support For Women’s Empowerment

Benue State commissioner for Agriculture and Food Security, Dr Benjamin Ashaver, has reaffirmed the state government’s commitment to empowering women in agriculture.

He stated that women remain central to achieving food security and sustainable development in the state.

The commissioner spoke yesterday at the inauguration of the Network of Women in Agriculture Nigeria (NWAN), Benue State Chapter, held in Makurdi.

Represented by deputy director and head of Training in the Department of Agricultural Services, Enada Okau, Ashaver emphasised the need for stronger collaboration and inclusive policies that would enable women farmers to thrive.

Earlier, state coordinator of NWAN, Dorcas Lorkusa, said the vision of the organisation was to become a strong force in advancing the socio-economic status of rural women through active participation in agribusiness, while its Mission centers on empowering women through advocacy, capacity building, and inclusive agricultural development to ensure sustainable livelihoods and economic growth.

Lorkusa said the network’s key objectives included advocating for women’s rights, particularly land and inheritance rights, while promoting equitable inclusion in government agricultural policies and programmes.