By Onu Okorie
In a bold move to address food insecurity, promote organic agriculture, and women’s economic empowerment, Nigerian humanitarian and development leader Michael Ibe Uche has launched an ambitious initiative to train and empower 150,000 indigent women farmers across Nigeria in purely organic agricultural practices.
At the center of this groundbreaking program is Joevet Powder, an organic pesticide innovation that promises to transform farming practices across the country.
Experts agree that this purely organic pesticide is about the first of its kind in Nigeria. This initiative is led by Crestmark and Gyettibello, companies founded and run by Michael Ibe and Joseph Ngala, the inventors of Joevet powder.
The massive project will be implemented in partnership with select Local Government Authorities, the national Food Security Sector led by UN-FAO, and several local not-for-profit organizations.
Joevet Powder, a locally developed organic pesticide, provides an eco-friendly and cost-effective alternative to conventional chemical pesticides.
While reducing toxic exposure for farmers, protecting soil health, and improving yields, the product directly supports Nigeria’s food security goals while promoting environmental sustainability.
Even more, the product and initiative respond to the federal government’s commitment to ensuring a fully climate-friendly organic agriculture as published in its ‘National Agricultural Technology and Innovation Policy’ (NATIP, 2022-2027).
More specifically, the initiative will commence with capacity building on best agronomic practices with a focus on the formulation, sale and application of Joevet powder for maximum benefit of the crops in local farms.
This will be followed by inputs distribution consisting in cartons of Joevet powder, knapsack and protective kits to the farmers, all worth over 325 million Naira. Mr Ibe informed our journalists that the funding for this program was a contributory funding from several donors including Sasakawa Nigeria and the respective counterpart funding from Crestmark and Gyettibello.
Speaking at the initiative’s unveiling, Mr. Uche emphasized the urgent need to equip women farmers with sustainable tools and knowledge:“Women produce up to 70% of Nigeria’s food, yet they are often left behind in access to resources, training, and innovation.
In empowering 150,000 women with organic farming methods, we are not only reducing poverty but also ensuring that Nigeria builds resilience against climate change and hunger.
”The program is designed to reach rural farming communities across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones, with training modules covering organic pest control, soil regeneration, water efficiency, and climate-smart practices.
Farmers will receive starter packs of Joevet Powder, alongside training in its use and techniques for scaling production sustainably.Experts say the initiative could be a game-changer for Nigeria’s agricultural sector.
Speaking at the project launch attended by many government and development leaders including the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture, Prof. Balarabe Hamza, the Dean of Agricultural Research, Bayero University – Kano, praised the innovation:
