Mata Iyayen Al’umma Foundation convened a landmark Stakeholders Meeting on November 20th, 2025, marking a significant step towards its ambitious goal of empowering one million women farmers across Nigeria. The high-level gathering hosted by the state ministry of planning and budget brought together key government officials, traditional institution, NGOs, civil society organizations, women groups and development partners to discuss the Promoting Grassroots Women in Agriculture in Nigeria (PROgWAN) program.
The meeting served as a critical platform for aligning strategies and securing commitments to address the systemic barriers faced by women in agriculture. Attendees included representations from various ministries: Planning and Budget, Agriculture, Livestock, Women Affairs, Health, Education, Rural and Urban planning, Humanitarian, Local Governments, and Environment.
The dialogue centered on creating a collaborative, transparent framework for the PROgWAN initiative, which aims to catalyze a national movement for women’s economic empowerment through agriculture.
In her opening address, Founder Hajia Farida Tahir reflected on the foundation’s authentic journey, which began in 2002 as a self-help group of ten women in Rangaza, Ungogo LGA.
“Our uniqueness and legitimacy are deeply rooted in that humble, grassroots genesis,” stated Hajia Tahir. “From a multipurpose cooperative, we have grown into a nationally recognized organization because we understand, firsthand, the constraints our women face.”
This national recognition was further cemented just prior to the meeting, as the German development agency GIZ through its SEDIN program unveiled MIA Foundation as part of the national women’s mentorship network at the National MSME Conference in Lagos, tasking it with scaling women-led enterprises across the country.
PROgWAN is designed to directly intervene where barriers are highest. The program, in the pilot phase will focus on enhancing the capacity and productivity of over 200 disadvantaged women farmers in Kano State, including smallholders, widows, and female-headed households. Target value chains include horticulture, rice and maize.
The initiative is strategically aligned with key Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): No Poverty (1), Zero Hunger (2), Gender Equality (5), and Affordable Clean Energy (7).
The consultative meeting yielded robust discussions on practical challenges, such as market access, capital, and technical knowledge, and the imperative for a transparent, inclusive selection process for beneficiaries.
The MIA Foundation extends its profound gratitude to all stakeholders who contributed to the success of the November 20th meeting. The event underscored a shared belief: that investing in women farmers is an investment in national food security, poverty reduction, and sustainable community development.
“We are not merely discussing a project; we are catalyzing a movement,” Hajia Tahir concluded. “We invite all partners to join us in this journey to make PROgWAN a successful blueprint for women’s economic empowerment across Nigeria.”
