For young and ebullient farmer Omolara Svensson, a new dawn has broken for all female farmers across Nigeria.
The Managing Director of OOK Farms and national president of the Nigerian Women For Agricultural Progressive & Development Initiative (NWAPDI) is charting a new cause for all female farmers in Nigeria.
“2024 was a year of resilience. In 2025, we are stepping up. Every Nigerian woman is a farmer by heritage. Together, we can transform agriculture into a sustainable source of wealth and stability for our nation,” she began.
Interestingly, Svensson and her team are grooming the youths – male and female – in the same line.
“Youths are our children and as women, wives, we cannot allow our children to rot away, hence, we are grooming and setting to groom more youths in becoming farmers as the ripple effect of this mission we have embarked on will be a big positivity for Nigeria as a nation,” she said.
In a recent media chat on plans for 2025 as the national president of NWAPDI, Svensson unveiled specific strategic plans and progressive initiatives to transform the agricultural sector with collaborations with established investors and giving total attention to the welfare of female farmers in Nigeria.
Speaking during the chat, Svensson highlighted the pivotal role of women in ensuring food security and economic stability across the country. She further emphasised the significant contributions of women, who constitute approximately 90% of the workforce in Nigeria’s agricultural sector.
“Without the tireless efforts of women farmers, food insecurity would have reached unprecedented levels this year. Come 2025, we are committed to changing the game entirely,” she said confidently.
Reiterating the role of every woman in the agricultural value chain, regardless of their direct involvement in farming, Svensson said, “You don’t have to go to the farm to be a farmer. From market trading to processing, every step of the value chain is vital and we are all farmers.”
With the attendance of some of the key coordinators in South West, South East, South South, and North Central, the NWAPDI’s national president unveiled ambitious plans for 2025, aimed at leveraging technology to propel Nigeria’s agricultural sector to global standards.
For starters, the NWAPDI national president revealed that technology gadgets will be made available for members of the initiative in batches as this will help all members apply technology to achieve maximum success in 2025 and beyond.
Some of the key initiatives, which excited Svensson during the chat, include: AgriCert, an escrow account with the Isle of Man government designed to bridge gaps between off-takers and farmers, enhancing commodity exports.
Another initiative is the FarmHer Project, which is set to launch in early 2025. FarmHer Project is an initiative, which according to Svensson, promises to revolutionise the agricultural landscape with advanced technology and sustainable practices.
She also spoke about the Real-Time Farming App, which is a cutting-edge application providing traceability, crop monitoring, and real-time data for women in farming.
Svensson also stressed the inclusivity of these initiatives, urging women and youths from all walks of life to join NWAPDI by visiting their official website and becoming members.
Highlighting the organisation’s mission, she shared a vision of a Nigeria where the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is primarily driven by agriculture. “Our ultimate goal is to ensure that no Nigerian child is hawking on the streets and that every youth has access to employment opportunities through agriculture.”
“Our AGM in February 2025 at the Nicon Luxury Hotel, Abuja, will further solidify these goals,” she stated emphatically.
According to Svensson, NWAPDI’s mission includes fostering financial inclusion, providing training, and creating infrastructure that supports women in agriculture.
