Kaduna State Governor, Uba Sani, has said that empowering women with mechanised farming tools will significantly boost agricultural productivity, strengthen food security and expand economic opportunities across Nigeria.

Sani stated this in Kaduna during the celebration of International Women’s Day organised by the Women in Mechanised Agriculture Association on Saturday.

The governor, who was represented by his deputy, Hadiza Balarabe, said the event symbolised what he described as a “quiet revolution” taking place across farms, markets and agribusiness hubs, driven largely by women.

According to him, mechanisation is transforming agriculture globally, stressing that Nigeria must embrace modern farming technologies to remain competitive and meet the country’s growing food demands.

“This gathering is not merely ceremonial. It symbolises a quiet revolution unfolding across our farms, markets and agribusiness hubs — a revolution powered by women,” he said.

Sani noted that mechanisation goes beyond the use of machines, explaining that it improves productivity, enhances efficiency, reduces labour burdens and creates new economic opportunities for farmers.

“Mechanisation is not just about machines; it is about improving productivity, increasing efficiency and reducing the drudgery associated with traditional farming methods,” he said.

The governor added that women farmers often shoulder the dual responsibilities of farm work and household duties, noting that access to mechanised equipment could significantly ease their workload while boosting productivity and income.

“Women farmers frequently balance farm work with household responsibilities. Providing them with access to mechanised tools will reduce labour intensity and enable them to increase their output and income,” he said.

He further described agriculture as the backbone of livelihoods for millions of Nigerians, noting that women play vital roles across the entire agricultural value chain — from production and processing to marketing and food distribution.

Despite their contributions, Sani lamented that many women farmers still face significant barriers, including limited access to land, finance, modern technology and mechanised services.

“These constraints continue to limit the productivity and potential of women farmers who are already making immense contributions to our food systems,” he said.

He, however, assured that the Kaduna State Government would continue to support women and youths through policies and investments aimed at promoting agribusiness development and improving access to modern agricultural technologies.

Also speaking, the President of the Women in Mechanised Agriculture Association, Aisha Bako, said the association was established in 2019 to provide mechanisation services to farmers while empowering women as service providers.

Bako said the organisation had grown from six members at inception to about 2,900 women currently providing mechanised farming services in several states.

“We started with just six members in 2019, but today our membership has grown to about 2,900 women offering mechanised services such as ploughing, harvesting, threshing, drying, irrigation, pumping and crop spraying,” she said.

She added that the association was committed to expanding opportunities for women in the mechanised agriculture sector.

In her remarks, a representative of PropCom Plus, Kator Abagu, said the programme had partnered with the association to establish solar-powered mechanisation hubs and introduce climate-smart agricultural technologies.

According to her, the initiative is designed to improve productivity and strengthen the livelihoods of smallholder farmers across the country.