By Abbas Nazil
The Police Officers’ Wives Association (POWA) has launched a transformative national campaign aimed at empowering 12 million young Nigerian women with agribusiness skills as part of a comprehensive strategy to tackle poverty, promote food security, and foster economic inclusion across the country.
The initiative, known as the National Soil to Security Campaign Team (SSC), was unveiled in Abuja during POWA’s 61st Anniversary celebration and is supported by the UNESCO Read and Earn Federation (UNESCO REF).
Dr. Elizabeth Egbetokun, President of POWA and National Advocate of the UNESCO REF Young Women in Agriculture (YWA) Initiative, said the campaign will serve as the outreach vehicle for the UNESCO REF Strategic Intervention Programme – ALPHA (SIP-ALPHA).
She said the programme is designed to improve food production, encourage climate-smart agriculture, and create resilient income sources for millions of young women across all states in Nigeria.
According to Egbetokun, the campaign aligns with the Federal Government’s emergency food security declaration of July 13, 2023, and complements President Bola Tinubu’s food transformation agenda as well as the First Lady’s Renewed Hope Initiative.
She explained that young women would be empowered through sustainable and scalable agribusiness models such as hydroponics and Kenaf-agro enterprises.
These models are designed to introduce modern, technology-driven approaches to farming that can be practiced even in challenging environments.
Egbetokun said the initiative not only creates jobs and income but also restores dignity and national value to women, positioning them as critical players in Nigeria’s agricultural renaissance.
She emphasized that food security cannot be achieved without gender-inclusive policies and actions.
Prince Abdulsalami Ladigbolu-Oranmiyan, National Coordinator of YWA Nigeria, described the project as a game-changer in the agricultural sector.
He said the initiative reflects Nigeria’s commitment to using innovation, equity, and knowledge to transform agriculture and empower women as architects of a sustainable economy and peaceful society.
He added that the SSC Team will engage directly with communities across Nigeria through grassroots registration, awareness drives, and promotion of agritech practices.
By 2030, the campaign aims to train and certify 12 million YWA Champions and build thriving, women-led agribusiness ecosystems that contribute to national development.
The project is backed by a coalition of domestic and international partners, including the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs, Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on SDGs, UNESCO Commission Nigeria, Women Space USA, Salvation Academy USA, and the University of the District of Columbia, Washington DC.
These partnerships will provide technical support, global visibility, and institutional strength to ensure the project’s success.
By targeting young women with sustainable agricultural skills and entrepreneurship opportunities, the Soil to Security Campaign seeks to fight hunger, reduce unemployment, improve gender equity, and strengthen Nigeria’s economic resilience from the grassroots up.
