The director, Centre for Gender, Youth and Child Development, Prof Mabel Onwuka has advocated support for smallholder women farmers in the country to boost food production.
Onwuka made the appeal when the centre donated a biochar fertilizer producing pyrolysis drum to a women group of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Amafor Isingwu, Umuahia, Abia State.
She said such farmers play significant roles in crop production hence the need for the support “as mineral or inorganic fertilizers are very costly and out of the reach of their resource.”
Onwuka, who is also the founder of Hope for Farmer, Women and Girls Initiative, stressed that South East farmers should use biochar fertilizers to reduce soil acidity level for increased crop yields.
In a remark, the leader of the group, Mrs Sarah Ndubuisi-Nmerifo lauded Onwuka and the centre for the gesture and demonstrating how to operate the drum.
She used the forum to congratulate her for winning the 2023 Prize for Women’s Creativity in Rural Life by Women’s World Summit Foundation, Geneva, Switzerland.
The leader urged the members to avail themselves of the opportunity of producing their own organic fertilizers to improve their harvest and to generate more income for their family.
Also, one of the members of the group, Mrs Ijeoma Ehiogu, testified to the efficacy of the fertilizer and lauded the director and the centre for the donation.
She explained that she had a bumper harvest from her ginger farm after applying the one the director gave her during the 2023 International Day of Rural Women.
“The yield was about 300 percent more than the previous year’s and after keeping some for my home use, I made more than N15,000 profit,” she said.
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