The management of Landmark University, Omu-Aran, Kwara, has said that its collaboration with the Global Hope for Women and Children Foundation (GLOHWOC) would helped to boost women capacity development and gender equality.
Prof Adeniyi Olayanju, the institution’s Vice-Chancellor made the assertion during a training session for selected women beneficiaries in Omu-Aran, Irepodun Local Government Area of Kwara State, on Wednesday.
No fewer than 62 women selected across the 11 wards of Irepodun Local Government Area of the State participated in the training session championed by GLOHWOC.
The beneficiaries were engaged in fields and hands on training in the areas of cereal, cassava, vegetable and poultry production.
Others are fishery enterprise, ruminants production enterprise, snailery enterprise as well as guinea fowl production enterprise.
Olayanju, in his welcome address at the event, said women as critical stakeholders have essential roles in the realisation of the desired food security in the country.
According to him, several bodies at the front line of women empowerment identified that persistent and systematic inequities in resources, power and roles disproportionately affects women, especially in agriculture and food systems around the world.
This, he noted, had limited the women’s opportunities, development and contribution to global hunger and poverty.
“It is therefore, important, given women’s crucial role in food production and provision, that any effort towards sustainable food security must address their access to productive resources.
“This workshop is, therefore, specifically designed to expose our women in Irepodun to the opportunities toward increasing their participation in agriculture.
“More importantly in fulfillment of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the United Nation – to eradicate poverty and gender inequities.
“As an agricultural institution, Landmark University is gender balance when it comes to access to opportunities in agriculture.
“We have highly placed women that are doing great exploits in agriculture today.
“We are not only living it, we are also driving it for impact in our immediate community.
“We believe that when capacity is built, you will not only be helping yourself but others,” Olayanju added.
Mrs Christy Abayomi-Oluwole, GLOHWOC’s Chief Executive Officer, in her remarks, said the training programme was part of the foundation’s larger capacity development project plan for women in Irepodun and Ilorin-South Local Government Areas of the State.
Abayomi-Oluwole, represented by Mr Adesuyi Adeola, the Foundation’s Finance and Administrative Manager, said GLOHWOC is working with support from Global Affairs Canada and ActionAid Nigeria through the women’s Voice and Leadership (WVL) in realising the project plans.
She disclosed that the training was earlier scheduled for April but was shifted to July due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“These women beneficiaries comprised of the less privileges and vulnerable, and are selected by a constituted project steering committee for training, literary assistance and possible provision of take-off grant for them to be self reliance.
“The project is meant to identify vulnerable persons, especially women, girls and non-registered cooperative societies, for financial literacy assistance for them to be self-sufficient and legally registered to function effectively,” she added.
GLOHWOC is Non-Governmental organisation (NGO) which envisions a society where women, children and other vulnerable populations have the opportunity to reach their utmost potentials.
The foundation established in 2007 and registered with Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) has its thematic intervention areas to include Gender and Human Rights, Health, Education, and Good Governance.
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