The national executives of the Police Officers Wives Association (POWA) are presently on a one-day working visit to the Institute of Agricultural Research and Training (IAR&T) today, May 22, 2024.

The visitation is aimed at obtaining first-hand knowledge of IAR&T’s operations and its potential to build the capacity of women under the Read and Earn Federation for the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO REF) under its Strategic Intervention Programme – Alpha (SIP-ALPHA) for Young Women in Agriculture (YWA Champions).

The POWA delegation to IAR&T comprises POWA National President and wife of the Inspector General of Police, Dr. Elizabeth Egbetokun; POWA National executives from Abuja; POWA Chairpersons from Lagos, Oyo, and Osun States; Oyo State Commissioner of Police, Ademola A. Hamzat; UNESCO REF President Project Director of Young Women in Agriculture, Prince Abdulsalami Ladigbolu; representatives of One Million YWA Champions; and members of the media.

In a statement, Dr. Egbetokun disclosed that POWA’s collaboration with IAR&T “will contribute towards enhancing and complementing the effort of the Nigerian First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, CON, on women in agriculture and also foster the Economic Value of Nigerian Women on Food and Nutrition Security in Nigeria.”

On arrival, the delegation will watch a special documentary on IAR&T lasting 15 minutes, before proceeding on a guided tour of the institute. The visiting team will tour the seed processing unit, Kenaf cottage centre, automated garri processing centre, crop farms, and the livestock farm – cattle, piggery, rabbit, snailery, and grasscutter.

CEOAFRICA gathers that POWA, in collaboration with UNESCO REF, has been working to enhance the economic value of Nigerian women as both organisations facilitated training for police Command wives, AIG’s, and DIG’s wives across the federation on the Hydroponic Agriculture program in the United States as part of the activities of the 2024 International Women’s Day (IWD) celebration.

Located at Moor Plantation in Apata area of Ibadan, IAR&T’s mission is to “develop, validate, and transfer appropriate demand-driven agricultural techniques that are eco-friendly, affordable, and adaptable through effective agricultural research and extension system.” Its mandate primarily includes research into the genetic improvement of kenaf and jute, as well as efficient use and management of soil resources for increased and sustainable agricultural productivity.