Group vows to produce organic, medicinal food

The efforts of Governor Willie Obiano of Anam­bra State to develop and improve the

agricultural sector, recently received a boost from women academics in the various tertiary institutions in the state under the aegis of Women Aca­demics In Agriculture, WAIA multipurpose cooperative soci­ety ltd.

Speaking at the inauguration of WAIA at Chike Okoli for En­trepreneurial studies, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, the WAIA State President, Dr Mrs. Cordelia Ifeyinwa Ebenebe com­mended the Governor for im­proving on the agricultural sec­tor which she said would help create employment and increase the agricultural produce of the state.

“WAIA aims to assist the state Government focus on agricul­ture by producing food organi­cally and to grow medicinal food crops that for long have been relegated as food habit transits from natural to highly modified forms”, she stated.

“The members of the society intend to use their expertise in agriculture, biosciences and ad­ministration to improve the lot of women and youths who form the bulk of farmers in the state thereby assisting Governor Obi­ano in his effort to improve on the agriculture sector that will pave way for job creation.

“We deem it necessary to of­ficially inaugurate the society in order to make the aims and objec­tives of the society public. This is to enable us to flow with the stream of government activities in the state, in the area related to our scope of coverage and to get acquainted with the women we intend to empower economically through agriculture and allied ventures”, she stated further.

While declaring open the event, the Vice Chancellor of Nnamdi Azikiwe University, UNIZIK, Prof. Joseph Ahaneku said with agriculture, the issue of unemployment will be tack­led, adding that the presence of WAIA in agriculture has shown that agriculture is not meant only for school dropouts as believed by some people.

He however commended WAIA for initiating the programme stating that they are the one that can educate and mobilize the peo­ple as they have a way of letting people know that with agricul­ture the issue of unemployment can be tackled.

“They have come to let people know that no matter your level of education that all should em­brace agriculture, they are very influential even amongst the women folk. I am also a farmer and I have land where I culti­vate”, Prof. Ahaneku revealed.