George George Idowu
In a bold move to address food insecurity and promote sustainable agriculture, Farm Junction Ltd, an innovative agribusiness, has introduced a groundbreaking initiative called “Most Beautiful Farmer Lagos,” The pageant, unlike traditional beauty competitions, focuses on empowering women farmers by providing them with the skills, financial backing, and recognition needed to enhance their roles in Nigeria’s agricultural sector.
The initiative, which is part of the company’s foundation, emphasizes technical expertise over physical beauty, making it a first-of-its-kind in the agricultural space.
“The beauty pageant forms the smallest part of the competition. The idea is to have women who are resident in Lagos and involved in the agricultural value chain participate,” explained Mr. Sola Rogers, CEO of Boom Radio.
Dumebi Oluwole, Special Projects and Programs Manager at Farm Junction Ltd, explained the motivation behind the initiative.
“First, we want to address one of the most marginalised segments of the farming industry in Nigeria—female farmers. While a significant number of Nigerian farmers are women, they are often underserved and underrepresented in terms of resources and opportunities.
This pageant is a platform to empower them, helping them contribute more sustainably to Nigeria’s agricultural output.”
The second driving force behind the project is in line with Farm Junction Ltd’s overarching goal: ensuring food availability and affordability.
Oluwole highlighted that improving the agricultural sector, especially through empowering women, could boost food production, which in turn would reduce food prices and improve access for all Nigerians.
Another important objective of “Most Beautiful Farmer Lagos” is to change the perception of farming, making it more appealing to younger generations and new entrants.
The pageant, open to women aged 21 and above, regardless of the type or scale of their farming activities, aims to showcase farming as an attractive and viable profession.
The competition is set to run from September 15 to October 16, 2024, culminating in a grand finale on World Food Day 2024.
“This is in conjunction with the Farmers Forum in Lagos, Lagos State Ministry of Agriculture, and other agencies,” Rogers added.
The finale, which will be held in a local marketplace, will feature just 10 finalists. The grand prize winner will receive a farming truck worth N26 million—a significant investment to help elevate their farming operations.
In addition to the pageantry, the contestants who pass the auditions will go through a rigorous three-day camp. Here, they will receive training on sustainable farming practices aimed at mitigating climate change, modern agricultural techniques, and essential entrepreneurial skills to help them manage and grow their businesses.
Yinka Omogoye, CEO of Farm Junction Ltd, emphasised that the ultimate goal is to increase the number of people engaged in farming.
“If we are able to get more people into farming, it will pull down the prices of food for everybody. And at the end of the day, food is affordable.”
By combining elements of competition, education, and empowerment, Most Beautiful Farmer Lagos is not just an event—it’s a movement that seeks to uplift Nigeria’s agricultural sector, drive sustainability, and champion the role of women in farming.
The program marks a significant step toward tackling food insecurity and supporting the nation’s farmers.