Group Seeks to Reach One Million Women By 2030

The Women in Mechanized Agriculture (WIMA) Initiative have set an ambitious goal to reach one million women by the year 2030 through the promotion of inclusive and climate-resilient mechanized farming across Nigeria and beyond. Speaking at a stakeholders engagement workshop in Abuja, President of WIMA, Aisha Yakubu Bako, highlighted the group’s mission to transform the […]

The Women in Mechanized Agriculture (WIMA) Initiative have set an ambitious goal to reach one million women by the year 2030 through the promotion of inclusive and climate-resilient mechanized farming across Nigeria and beyond.

Speaking at a stakeholders engagement workshop in Abuja, President of WIMA, Aisha Yakubu Bako, highlighted the group’s mission to transform the agricultural landscape for rural women by increasing their access to mechanized tools, training, and finance.

“WIMA started in 2019 with just six women. Today, we are over 300 strong in Kaduna alone, and expanding fast. Our vision is to ensure that no woman is too poor, too rural, or too marginalized to access technology, finance, or opportunity,” Bako said.

WIMA operates on four strategic pillars: capacity building, access to mechanization services and assets, policy advocacy, and market linkages. Through mobile-based learning, partnerships with platforms like TrackTrack, and support from donors such as PropCom+ and the Mastercard Foundation, the group is scaling its impact nationwide.

Currently, WIMA runs 12 mechanization hubs across Nigeria, powered by renewable energy sources such as solar-powered threshers and water pumps. These hubs enable women in hard-to-reach communities to access affordable and sustainable farming equipment.

Chairperson of WIMA’s Board of Trustees, Dr. Aisha Waziri Umar, emphasized the need for collective action to dismantle systemic barriers women face in agriculture.

“This is more than an event—it is a movement. Agriculture employs millions and contributes over 20% of our GDP, yet women, who make up the majority of smallholder farmers, still lack the tools and financing they need. Today is about changing that,” Dr. Umar said.

Umar also introduced key members of the WIMA team, including top government partners, private sector leaders, and fellow trustees who are driving the initiative forward.

Dr. Umar, a rice processor herself, shared her experience empowering rural women in Borno and Yobe States. “Mechanized agriculture is not just about tractors and apps—it’s about people. We are here to plant seeds of change that will yield opportunity for generations.”

The launch brought together stakeholders from government, the private sector, donor agencies, and grassroots women farmers.

Discussions focused on actionable solutions—from policy reforms to financial inclusion and digital innovations—to unlock the potential of women in agriculture.

With its growing network and tested model, WIMA is positioning itself as a game-changer in the drive to modernize agriculture and boost productivity through female-led mechanization. As Bako noted in her closing remarks, “When women rise, food systems rise. And when women mechanize, productivity scales.”