Groups to Boost Women Participation in Fertilizer Value Chain  

Oluchi Chibuzor

The Feed the future Enhancing Growth through Regional Agricultural Input Systems (EnGRAIS) and the West Africa Fertilizer Association (WAFA), have revealed their commitment to boost the capacity of women in the agro input industry.

This, according to the sub-regional coordinator, EnGRAIS, Kido Kouassi, is to help WAFA along their journey into building a stronger association with gender in perspective.

Speaking recently at the Africa Agri Expo Exhibition in Lagos, he said, “recently we were in Abidjan and one of the issue that was look at is the involvement of women in the fertilizer business.

“So the association is already working to include women in the board and governance of the association, but we created and adopted a committee to actually make sure that all the gender and youth issue are included into every strategy that will put together for the association,” he added.

On how the latest move would empower women in the value chain, he noted that, “a committee that was created inside WAFA governance adhoc committee headed by a woman who is into fertilizer business.

“Would actually make sure other women follow her path, while the association will provide for every activity they put together,” he explained.

EnGRAIS a five-year programme from 2018-2023 is a regional fertilizer development program that aims to support African-led regional institutions to address critical issues that constrains the effective supply and use of agricultural inputs in West Africa.

The program was expected to in a strong, positive, and lasting change on improving farmers’ access to appropriate, affordable, and quality agricultural inputs.

For her, the Communication Officer, WAFA, Ada Nsitem, the association supports everybody who is in the value chain of fertilizer worth over $1 billion.

“We are going to make sure that every woman involve in fertilizer value chain is carried along. WAFA as an organisation has its own gender and youth strategy as well, and we are working to also see how to include this people and promote them and support them in this industry,” she lamented.