FCTA EMPOWERS WOMEN FOR RHI GARDEN COMPETITION
By: Dominic Idio
In continued efforts to encourage FCT women to key into Federal Government’s drive for agricultural revitalisation in the country, the Federal Capital Territory Administration, through its Women Affairs Secretariat, has collaborated with the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, to empower women in the nation’s capital who participated in the 2024 Renewed Hope Initiative (RHI) “Every Home A Garden” competition.
The event, which was a Ministerial Engagement with participants of the “Every Home A Garden” competition in the Federal Capital Territory, became a rallying point for face-to-face interaction between stakeholders and the women who participated in the RHI “Every Home A Garden” Initiative by the First Lady of the Federation, Senator Oluremi Tinubu -CON.
Addressing a crowd of women at the event, Hon. Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security, Sen. Dr. Aliyu Sabi Abdulahi commended the collaboration between the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security and FCT Women Affairs Secretariat, which he noted, has yielded results in terms of providing resources to reach out and appreciate the FCT women who gave their best in using different methods to grow gardens, send entries and participate in the 2024 “Every Home A Garden” Competition.
The Minister explained that directives have been given for the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security to synergize available agricultural initiatives, take charge of implementing them as unified interventions, in order to enhance food security for the benefit of Nigerians.
His words, “I am pleased to announce that given the success of ‘Every Home A Garden’, Young Farmers Club Initiative and other agricultural programmes, based on the directives of the First Lady, that the programmes would henceforth exit participation from her office, the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security was mandated to take over and ensure that we continue with this programme, and I want to assure you that we are preparing right now for the 2025 cohort. All of these programmes, we are now going to be implemented under the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security National Urban Agricultural Project”, the Minister said.
Earlier in her Welcome Address, Mandate Secretary of FCT Women Affairs Secretariat, Dr. Adedayo Benjamins-Laniyi, had praised the strict, prudent, and transparent procedures of handling the 2024 “Every Home A Garden” competition under her watch, saying that women who participated in the competition are all winners.
In her words, “These women seated here are all winners of the competition. It is not all about who emerged as best or who did not emerge as best. But, it’s all about the FCT women who believed in the First Lady’s initiative, and gave it a try and did their best. Permit me, therefore, to use this opportunity to appreciate the First Lady, Distinguished Sen. Oluremi Tinubu, who conceived the “Every Home A Garden” initiative for Nigerian women, and my amiable Principal, the Hon. Minister of FCT, Barr. Nyesom Wike, for all the support given to our Secretariat for the full implementation of this garden initiative in the Federal Capital Territory”.
Highlights of the event were the presentation of cash rewards to the first three winners of the “Every Home A Garden” Competition in FCT: Hauwa Aminu, Victoria Obialor, and Pamela Ashiedu, who bagged 1st Position, 2nd Position, and 3rd Position, respectively.
All the women at the occasion were given garden tools as a package to further encourage and empower them in sustained gardening engagements at home. Women were seen displaying their garden products like snake tomatoes, spinach, pepper, okra, maize, potatoes, groundnuts, and assorted vegetables ranging from pumpkin leaves, water leaves, curry leaves, green leaves, and Jatropha tanjorensis popularly called “hospital is too far”.
Beneficiaries of the empowerment programme at the occasion commended the First Lady for stimulating women’s interest in gardening activities across the country, applauding the idea as an intervention that has helped women to curtail unnecessary spending at home, while having direct and immediate access to fresh, quality vegetables and a constant food supply at home.
Floxy Adaugo, a beneficiary of the initiative and resident at Dutse Alhaji, said she used an alternative gardening method to plant yams in bags, and the yield was wonderful. “A friend hinted to me about the ‘Every Home A Garden’ competition, and I didn’t hesitate to try. I planted yams in bags, and I also planted other vegetables, including ‘ugu’ and water-leaves. The garden became so useful, because it improved the quality of food I eat. And I think there is a need for more women to embrace this initiative, as we begin again”, Adaugo said.
It could be recalled that, in July 2023, the First Lady of the Federation launched the “Every Home A Garden” Competition to encourage women in the 36 States of the Federation and the FCT to practice Home Gardening by using traditional gardening methods, container gardening techniques, and (soilless culture) to create gardens at home.
The initiative was conceived to enhance immediate and sustainable food supply in the home and country at large, promote self-sufficiency, improve well-being, ensure food security, reduce the high cost of living, and encourage a culture of sharing and communal living.
Abuja Digest reports that a total of 416 video entries were received, and their gardens were also physically inspected by the Committee and members of competent jurists. However, analysts have rated FCT Women Affairs Secretariat as the best in its approach and procedures of guiding the women to participate in the competition, and the obvious fact that FCT entries far outnumbered other States that participated in the competition.
