***Advocates Improved Access to Credit, Markets, Infrastructure and Technology for Rural Women
Dr. Betty Anyanwu-Akeredolu, popularly known as Ada Owere and Labour Party candidate for Owerri Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, has called for increased investment in rural women farmers and rural infrastructure to strengthen food security, promote economic growth and protect the environment.
Dr. Anyanwu-Akeredolu made the call in a statement to mark the 2026 International Day of Rural Women, observed on October 15, with the theme, “Rural Women Farmers Caring for Mother Nature.”
She said rural women remained central to agricultural production, food processing, marketing and environmental sustainability, but their contributions were often undermined by limited access to credit, insecure land rights, inadequate infrastructure, poor market access and the burden of unpaid domestic work.
According to her, celebrating rural women must go beyond public recognition to include deliberate policies and investments that improve their livelihoods and strengthen their economic independence.
“Rural women deserve more than recognition; they deserve opportunity, investment, infrastructure and a meaningful voice in decisions that affect their lives and livelihoods,” she said.
The Labour Party candidate said her commitment to rural women was reflected in two pillars of her eight-point agenda: Women and Girl-Child Advancement, and Infrastructure and Community Development.
Under the women and girl-child advancement pillar, she advocated improved access to agricultural training, affordable financing, modern farming technology, cooperative enterprises and markets where women farmers could obtain fair prices for their produce.
She added that legislative measures and policies should support women-led businesses, expand skills acquisition programmes and create more economic opportunities for rural women, widows and other vulnerable groups.
Dr. Anyanwu-Akeredolu also stressed the need to invest in girls’ education, digital literacy and science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), including emerging opportunities in artificial intelligence.
She said equipping girls with relevant knowledge and skills would prepare them for leadership roles and emerging opportunities in agriculture, research, technology and entrepreneurship.
On infrastructure, she identified poor rural roads, inadequate electricity, limited access to potable water and insufficient healthcare and processing facilities as major obstacles to the productivity of rural women.
She explained that poor road networks increased transportation costs, delayed the movement of agricultural produce and contributed to post-harvest losses, while inadequate electricity and processing facilities limited opportunities for value addition and business expansion.
To address these challenges, she pledged to advocate the rehabilitation of rural and federal roads, rural electrification, solar street lighting, potable water, improved healthcare and educational facilities, modern markets and erosion control across communities in Owerri Federal Constituency.
She also called for environmentally responsible development, emphasising the importance of sustainable land management, water conservation and the protection of natural resources to preserve agricultural productivity and safeguard rural communities.
Dr. Anyanwu-Akeredolu said that, if elected, she would deploy legislative, oversight and budget advocacy instruments, alongside constituency engagement, to pursue the proposed interventions in collaboration with relevant government agencies, development partners and community stakeholders.
She further argued that agriculture should be treated not merely as a subsistence activity but as a viable source of employment, wealth creation and community development.
According to her, strengthening rural women’s access to productive resources, improving market linkages and supporting agricultural processing would help transform farming into a more profitable enterprise while promoting sustainable food systems.
She maintained that food security could not be achieved without adequate support for women who play significant roles in producing, processing and distributing food.
The former Ondo State First Lady urged governments and development stakeholders to prioritise rural women in agricultural and environmental policies, noting that their knowledge and experience were essential to sustainable development.
She said her vision for Owerri Federal Constituency was to create an environment where rural women could access the infrastructure, resources, education and technology needed to improve their livelihoods and participate meaningfully in public life.
Dr. Anyanwu-Akeredolu added that sustained investment in rural women and their communities would strengthen households, expand economic opportunities and protect the environment for future generations.
