By Gabriel Ewepu

FOLLOWING farmers’ role in economic development and sustainability, an agric firm, SWEER Global Farms, has disclosed plans to boost women farmers’ capacity on food production.

This was made known by the Chief Executive Officer, CEO, SWEER Global Farms, Dr Thaddeaus Thompson, while speaking on the need to focus on building capacity of women farmers who make a major part of the workforce in the agricultural sector.

Thompson said the impact of women in agriculture cannot be over emphasized as they have sustained the lives of Nigerians with their dogged and determined resolve in food production.

He said: “Women are indeed assets we don’t toy with as an organization because we give them great honour and assistance to boost their productivity in all our operations towards our success as we make massive investments in the agricultural sector.

“Women have made a mark in the food system and are still feeding the Nigeria’s huge population despite their challenges along gender issues including assess to land and finance, traditional rights, violence, health, and societal challenges.

“SWEER Global Farms is already on the move to boost women farmers capacity in food production in order to increase their knowledge and experience in agribusiness.

“We are also going to expose them to modern business management and marketing tools that would add value to what they are doing in the agric sector.

“We are going to train them as cooperatives and in badges. We intend to start from Bayelsa State, then move to other States in the Niger Delta Region. We will commence it soon we are done with our partners who will collaborate with us to give the best to them, and these will also improve their business communication skills along the value chains they operate in.

“We are partnering with the T & T Web Designing and Marketing Services for this capacity building for women farmers, and we will also bring in other partners who are going to put them through on how to preserve their farm produce against post-harvest losses. 

“Also we are going to partner with the Ministries of Agriculture, Women Affairs, and Local Governments in the States including relevant Nongovernmental Organisations.”

  According to him, SWEER Global Farms places high value on women and has assisted women farmers to have their pride of place in the food system.

“Our company has high value for women and we have put in place what encourages them to give their best, and we employed most of them to work on farmers with dignity. We work closely with women farmers, and we see their impact across various agric value chains.

“Interestingly, a woman farmer is one of our directors, who oversees our farms in Amassoma, Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of Bayelsa, and her performance is amazing”, he added.