NWAPDI Reaffirms Commitment to Women and Youth Inclusion in AgricultureThe National Women in Agriculture Development and Progressive Initiative (NWAPDI) has restated its commitment to empowering women and youth in Nigeria’s agricultural sector.
Speaking during the inauguration of newly elected officers in Abuja, NWAPDI National President, Omolara Swenson, emphasized that inclusive participation of women and youth will be central to her work as the newly appointed Special Assistant to the Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security.
Swenson assured stakeholders that her appointment will not affect ongoing collaborations with organizations such as the Smallholder Women Farmers Organization of Nigeria (SWOFON) and SHE Farmers. “We are all under the umbrella of the All Farmers Association, and our joint efforts will continue,” she said.
She disclosed that the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security has a 2025 agricultural blueprint already in place, and her focus will be on ensuring grassroots farmers—especially women and youth—have access to support, innovations, and government interventions.
Swenson also addressed challenges such as limited access to finance, land, and farm inputs for women, noting that the presence of an experienced agricultural economist as Minister of State would help drive effective solutions.
Highlighting recent leadership changes within the group, Swenson announced that the Plateau State Coordinator has emerged as Deputy National Coordinator, while Farmer Majid takes over as the new Plateau State Coordinator. The Benue State Coordinator was elected as the new North Central Coordinator.
She assured that the new leadership will work closely with the ministry to ensure real farmers, not political beneficiaries, are the true recipients of government agricultural programs.
