Women farmers to be aided

West African Cotton has said it is has increased
support to cotton farmers especially women to
empower them in the areas of better farm
management, mechanization, improving yields
and quality.
It said, it is part of increased efforts to
successfully implement extensive seed
multiplication and production programmes for
cotton which is part of a Memorandum of
Understanding (MoU) between the company and
the Federal Ministry of Agricultural and Rural
Development (FMARD) in 2012 for Katsina and
Bauchi States.
According to a statement released by WACOT,
the company has increased the number of
farmers under the programme from 3000 in 2012
to 5,000 this year using cooperatives and is
focusing more on women empowerment for
improved livelihoods.
"Making quality certified seeds to farmers is the
focal point of WACOT's strategy. The company is
engaged in Research and Development efforts in
this area and actively collaborates with country's
premier agricultural research institute, Institute of
Agriculture Research (IAR), for improving seed
quality under the Growth Enhancement Scheme
(GES). WACOT through this strategy is trying to
promote women's empowerment in the
community by enhancing their socio economic
status," part of the statement reads.
WACOT is also engaged in development and
multiplication of strategic agricultural
commodities such as cotton, rice, maize,
soybeans and sesame seeds identified under the
federal government's Agricultural Transformation
Agenda.