The Coordinator, Office of the First Lady, Akwa Ibom State, Lady Helen Eno Obareki, has emphasized that sustainable food security in the Niger Delta is achievable if women are placed at the centre of agricultural policies and development strategies.
She made this known in her remarks at the Niger Delta Food Security Summit And Expo (NDFSSE) co-hosted by McRobert Energies Limited in Uyo where stakeholders discussed food security, energy, and youth inclusiveness in the region.
She on the theme: “Women as Catalysts for Food Security and Community Development in the Niger Delta,.
Describing women as indispensable actors across the agricultural value chain, from planting and processing to marketing and household consumption, Lady Obareki also called for intentional and structured empowerment of women.
“Let’s assess this simple value chain: from the moment a seed is planted,
nurtured, harvested, and its produce transported, sold, and prepared…to the moment that seed becomes a meal served on a family table, there is a constant; a steady hand that is present at every stage. Again, in our rural communities, who manages the subsistence plots, processes the cassava, and navigates the local markets?
“In all these areas, we must deduce a simple truth: Any strategy for food security that does not center on the woman is not a strategy,” she said.
Represented by Dr Bright Archibong, the State President of the Commissioners and Special Advisers Wives Association (COSAWA), Lady Obareki recalled several initiatives under Gov. Umo Eno’s ARISE Agenda, adding that more than ₦2 billion had been disbursed in grants and agricultural inputs to farmers to boost productivity.
She said, “The Ibom Model Farm has been established, following the Governor’s study of the Songhai Farms in Porto-Novo. This is a one-stop agricultural hub designed to bridge the gap between traditional farming and modern agribusiness.”
She also stated the impact of women-focused initiatives such as the ARISE Cooperatives and the Eka Iberedem Hub, operating under the Patience Umo Eno Golden Initiative For All (GIFA), which provided training, financing access, and market opportunities for rural women.
She called for increased investment in women-led agricultural enterprises, adding that women were also the “blue-chip” assets of the Niger Delta’s food economy.
“Throughout the farmlands of this region, women are not just participants in the food chain; they are the primary catalysts for stability and community development. To the international partners present, including the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO): The Akwa Ibom woman is ready for global trade. We are not just farming, we are building an ecosystem.
“As we move from this plenary to the technical sessions, and back to our
various organizations, I leave you with a challenge; In the world of finance, we look for ‘Blue Chip’ stocks, that is – investments that are reliable, resilient, and guaranteed to grow. In the Niger Delta, the ‘Blue Chip’ of our food economy is the woman. When you fund a women’s cooperative, you aren’t just making a
donation; you are investing in a project with a 100% success rate for
community stability,” Lady Obareki said.
The summit was convened by Mr Emmanuel Robert, alongside his co-convener, Iniobong Otuekong, who emphasised the need for sustained partnerships aimed at capacity building, improving agricultural productivity, and enabling women in the Niger Delta to drive initiatives for food security and community advancement.
It also featured a series of insightful presentations from leading experts, all centered on unlocking the Niger Delta’s economic potential through strategic export development.
Delivering a paper on “Building Export Clusters and Hubs in the Niger Delta: A Pathway to Economic Prosperity,” the Managing Director of the Nigeria Export Processing Zones Authority (NEPZA), Dr. Olufemi Ogunyemi, highlighted the transformative impact of structured export systems, adding that the establishment of specialised export clusters would eliminate bureaucratic challenges, reduce agricultural waste, and stimulate sustainable economic diversification.
According to him, such clusters are capable of generating large-scale employment and attracting foreign investment into the region.
Ogunyemi was represented by the Deputy Director, Investment and Promotion, Mr. Augustine Onyekwelu.
In another presentation titled “Harnessing Export Opportunities in Agricultural Value Chains for Youth Empowerment in the Niger Delta,” the State Director of the Nigeria Export Promotion Council, Mr Idongesit Essien, noted Nigeria’s strong potential in the global export market.
He said that with coordinated efforts and optimal resource utilisation, the country could secure a competitive share internationally.
He emphasised the need to operationalise existing export zones, integrate climate-smart and Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) strategies, and deploy innovative financing mechanisms.
He said that making agriculture more attractive and accessible to young people would position export clusters as catalysts for food security, job creation, environmental sustainability, and inclusive economic growth.
Also speaking on “Women as Drivers of Food Security in Global and Regional Trade Systems,” the President of the Organisation of Women in International Trade (OWIT), Dr. Blessing Irabor-Oza, called for deliberate and sustained investment in women and youth empowerment, maintaining that Africa’s ambition to achieve food security and compete globally, hinges on building efficient and inclusive systems, rather than relying solely on potential.
Other women in the First Lady’s delegation to the summit were the President of WALGON, Mrs Akaninyene Udo; the wife of the Executive Assistant and Chief Delivery Advisor to the Governor, Mrs Bassey Johnson, and the Honorary Special Adviser to the Governor on women mobilisation, Dr Ekemini Umoh.
By Dianabasi Effiong
