In a strategic move to deepen grassroots collaboration in agribusiness and food security, AfriWomen for Entrepreneurship Initiative (AfriWomen) on May 21, 2025, joined the Lagelu West Farmers Meeting, chaired by the Babaloja of Olorunda Market, popularly known as Baba Elewure.
Held in Olorunda, a vibrant farming community in Lagelu LGA of Oyo State, the meeting was a significant step in strengthening stakeholder participation in agricultural development and inclusive economic empowerment, particularly for women and youths.
AfriWomen, a leading NGO in community-based development, is well-recognized for its results-oriented approach in agribusiness, value addition, food systems transformation, and economic inclusion. With an 80% focus on women and girls, AfriWomen actively champions the cause of social equity and sustainable agriculture through training, advocacy, and enterprise development.
Key highlights of the meeting included:
• Plans to collaborate with other wards in Lagelu LGA for broader impact.
• Election of new LGA executives and expanding farmer membership.
• Agreement to hold weekly AfriWomen Farmers Meetings every Wednesday.
• Announcement of the IITA YAS Poultry Training Programme zoned to Lagelu LGA, targeting 80 youth participants—especially women—with full welfare support.
• Encouragement to participate in the upcoming AfriWomen International MSME Day, focusing on agribusiness and food value chains.
Farmers also shared key challenges such as unpredictable rainfall, post-harvest losses, and lack of market access. Proposed solutions included strengthening cooperative structures, establishing reliable market linkages, and building capacity in post-harvest management and agritech.
Adebukola Oso, Founder and CEO of AfriWomen and a PhD Law researcher specializing in agribusiness and food security, emphasized:
“Empirical data shows that over 60% of food waste in Nigeria happens post-harvest due to lack of proper storage and processing. At AfriWomen, we are applying grassroots-led, legally sound solutions rooted in cooperative systems, innovation, and capacity building to tackle this crisis head-on.”
Chairman of the farmers group remarked:
“AfriWomen’s presence brings energy and purpose to our work. With their support, we can dream bigger and achieve more, especially for our women farmers.”
The Secretary added:
“The decision to meet weekly, align with training opportunities, and connect to national and international programmes is a new dawn for us. AfriWomen is showing us what structured empowerment looks like.”
Call to Action:
AfriWomen is calling on donors, agricultural stakeholders, private sector leaders, and policymakers to partner with it to scale community agribusiness solutions, promote food security, and drive women-led innovation across Nigeria.
