The Police Officers’ Wives Association (POWA) has officially inaugurated the National Soil to Security Campaign Team (SSC), an initiative designed to engage 12 million young Nigerian women in transformative agribusiness education.
The launch, which took place during POWA’s 61st anniversary celebration at Eko Hotel and Suites in Lagos State, was led by POWA National President and Wife of the Inspector General of Police, Dr. Elizabeth Egbetokun.
The campaign, implemented in partnership with the UNESCO Read and Earn Federation (REF) Young Women in Agriculture (YWA) Initiative, aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s efforts to address national food security. Dr. Egbetokun, who also serves as the National Advocate for the YWA Initiative, emphasized that the program will empower young women to escape poverty by participating in scalable, resilient agricultural ventures that promote income generation, personal dignity, and broader national development.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, Dr. Egbetokun explained that the SSC Team functions as the official outreach and mobilization engine under the UNESCO REF Strategic Intervention Programme – ALPHA (SIP-ALPHA). The framework is designed to advance food security, promote climate-smart agriculture, and deliver inclusive economic empowerment across Nigeria’s regions. The campaign is a direct response to the Federal Government’s emergency declaration on food security, announced on July 13, 2023.
The Soil to Security Campaign Team will act as the national coordination platform for the YWA Initiative. It will facilitate sensitization, registration, and community engagement across all six geopolitical zones, targeting young women aged 18 to 35. The team will also promote agritech awareness, inclusive market access, and sustainable impact. The programme’s long-term goals include training and certifying 12 million YWA Champions by 2030, developing women-led agribusiness ecosystems, and expanding domestic inputs for industries like packaging, textiles, and construction.
Speaking at the event, Prince Abdulsalami Ladigbolu-Oranmiyan, President of UNESCO REF and National Coordinator of the YWA Nigeria programme, stated that the future of food is no longer merely rooted in the soil but engineered through knowledge, equity, and innovation. He added that the launch of the SSC Team reflects Nigeria’s strong commitment to sustainable agriculture and the empowerment of young women as key drivers of economic resilience and national peace.
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