Henry Falaiye
The Lagos Chapter of the Association of Professional Women Engineers of Nigeria has launched the Lagos Home Gardening Initiative, to enhance food security.
APWEN unveiled the Lagos Home Gardening Initiative recently in Lagos.
The Chairperson of the APWEN Lagos Chapter, Dr Atinuke Owolabi, explained that the initiative aligned with the association’s endorsement of the “Own a Garden” competition led by Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu.
Owolabi said this while delivering an address at the APWEN Lagos Chapter 2024 Public Lecture, Award and Annual General Meeting theme, “Empowering Nigerian Women Engineers and Communities to Promote Sustainable Agricultural Solutions and Food Security in Nigeria”, which was held recently in Lagos.
Owolabi said, “The APWEN Lagos Home Gardening Initiative is dedicated to improving food security, promoting self-sufficiency, and advancing environmental sustainability with practical and accessible gardening methods.
“Our goal with this initiative is to cultivate a network of knowledgeable and skilled individuals who can set an example and inspire positive transformation within their communities.”
She noted that the programme would offer women engineers practical experience and training in home gardening, combining this expertise with their professional skills to promote self-sufficiency and environmental stewardship.
She further mentioned that the association’s initiative would also involve grassroots communities by targeting primary and secondary schools.
Meanwhile, Owolabi said that young students would be introduced to the benefits of home gardening to instill a culture of sustainability early on and create a lasting impact within the community.
The guest speaker at the event, Chief Executive Officer of Farm Fresh Agricultural Venture, and the Chairman of the All Farmers Association of Nigeria, Lagos Chapter, Mufutau Oyelekan, charged APWEN members and other agricultural engineers to develop and design agricultural tools for Nigerian farmers.
Oyelekan recommended that female engineers work with fabricators to design tools and establish farms either individually or collectively. He also suggested developing agricultural product processors to support food sufficiency.
In his keynote speaker, the Dean of the Faculty of Engineering at the University of Uyo, Prof. Akindele Alonge, urged the female engineers to confront challenges impeding food sufficiency across the country, while tapping into opportunities in farming.
Alonge said, “For Nigeria to achieve food sufficiency in the country, agricultural engineers must advocate for mechanized farming and utilise digital technology in agriculture. Engineers must focus on enhancing their skills, networking, and collaborating with other professionals.”
On his part, the Chairman of Onigbongbo Local Government Area, Oladotun Olakanle, commended APWEN Lagos for its initiative, noting that insecurity had had a detrimental effect on food production.
He encouraged Nigerians to take up home gardening to enhance food production and sustainability, emphasising that securing food is crucial for achieving overall food sufficiency.
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