In order to support women in Kano’s agricultural value chains, the Africa Enterprise Challenge Fund (AECF) has started a Can$15.7 million (8.4 billion) initiative.
The Investing in Women in Nigeria (IIW-Nigeria) initiative, which has received Can$15.7 million in funding from Global Affairs Canada (GAC), aims to change the position of women in Kano’s agricultural value chains in order to boost incomes, improve climate resilience, and transform people’s way of life.
In addition to maize, rice, soya beans, groundnuts, and poultry, the programme is expected to identify one-of-a-kind and cutting-edge commercial concepts with palpable social impact.
According to information received, a challenge fund model will be used to identify programme investees who propose creative solutions for the target value chains through a competitive procedure that ensures fair and equal access to money in the form of non-repayable awards.
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IIW-Nigeria will also offer non-financial technical assistance on gender equality, human rights advocacy, business and management, and climate smart agriculture, according to Victoria Sabula, CEO of the AECF, who made the announcement at the initiative’s launch on Tuesday. She also noted that a tailored technical assistance will be provided through the AECF Advisory Studio.
“Through the Investing in Women in Nigeria Programme, we will promote women’s economic empowerment in the agricultural sector by investing in businesses and cooperatives operating in various agricultural value chains,” she said.
The commencement of the programme heralds the beginning of a new era in Kano state, according to the governor of Kano state, Abba Kabir Yusuf, who also spoke.
“As we start the ‘Investing in Women in Nigeria Programme,’ in collaboration with AECF, we are investing not only in the strength, resilience, and limitless potential of our women, but also in the future of our agriculture industry. We empower our state and country by empowering our women, he declared.
Documents state that the programme will promote collaboration and close coordination with numerous stakeholders, including business membership organisations, community-based organisations, organisations fighting for women’s rights, financial institutions, and government ministries dealing with agriculture, women’s issues, business, and cooperative development.
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