Wife of Abia State governor, Mrs Precillia Otti, has announced that the state will key into the “Every Home a Garden” competition, a pet project of the wife of the President, Sen Oluremi Tinubu.
Mrs Otti stated this in an address at the 2024 Abia Women August Delegates Conference (AWADEC) in Umuahia, the state capital, saying with an enhanced star prize of N25 million the competition is irresistible.
He words: “The competition is to encourage women, especially mothers, to start gardening, using the little spaces in our backyards to produce vegetables for domestic consumption and more.”
“Thankfully, we can start from our backyards and then begin to look afield. We can also do much by taking advantage of the state of improved public infrastructure across the state to explore new business opportunities.
“The agriculture-related initiatives are tied to the theme of the event: ‘Utilising Growth Opportunities Amid Current Economic Challenges.’ and also speaks to the challenge of hunger and starvation facing individuals and families”
“As women, many of us have first-hand knowledge of these difficulties as the cost of food items hit rooftops, making life unbearable for millions of our compatriots,” the first lady added.
The governor, Dr Alex Otti while declaring the conference open, assured women in the state that they will continue to occupy a pride of place in the New Abia, and congratulated them on the occasion.
“I am glad to report that in the New Abia, we are steadily shattering the glass ceilings that kept women away from very important seats at the decision-making table,” he explained
“We are very mindful and appreciative of the important roles you play to keep our families and society together. Please do not relent as we are counting on you. Remember that we are here because of you.”
In her lecture entitled; ‘Abia Women: Rise to win, utilizing growth opportunities amidst current economic challenges’, Prof Mabel Onwuka of Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, expressed worry over the increase in food prices in the country.
The director of the university’s Centre for Gender, Youth and Child Development and agricultural expert noted that growing one’s crops is a way of saving money and also enjoying fresh crops produced at home.
“The smallest backyard space can produce good amount of vegetables, fruits, herbs among others at the eastxpense.
Home-gardens are not done on soil alone but can be done in water solution called hydroponics and in air called aeroponics,” she asserted.