Khadijah Aliyu
The Executive Director, Women Farmers Advancement Network (WOFAN), Hajiya Dr. Salamatu Garba, has been honoured by the Crop Science Society of Nigeria (CSSN) for her remarkable contributions to humanity and her tireless efforts in empowering women and youth.
The CSSN Chairman, Professor M.I Uguru said the recognition comes following her decades of dedicated service in community development and awareness, especially in agriculture
SolaceBase reports that Dr Salamatu, a trained plant pathologist and advocate for gender equality, received the accolade at CSSN’s 9th national conference, holding at Bayero University, Kano
Commending her efforts, the Chairman of the occasion, and former House of Representatives member, Honorable Munir Babba Danagundi, also described her as a great pillar in agriculture, adding that she deserved the award.
“The WOFAN CEO, Hajiya Salamatu, is a very great pillar in agriculture. I have never seen a person who got funding and used it appropriately like her”
Hajiya Salamatu expressed happiness that society recognized WOFAN’s contributions to human development and creating opportunities.
“I am actually very excited, and this, of course, reminds me of my journey so far since I established WOFAN around 1993”
SolaceBase recalled that in 2017, Dr. Salamatu was awarded the ‘Rare Gem Award’ from the United Nations Information Services, and more recently, she received the Value4Her Award as part of the AGRA-USAID Africa Agripreneurs of the Year Awards (WAYA 2021).
The honour distinguished her among over 2,500 applicants from 21 African countries, recognizing her leadership in establishing more than 5,000 fully registered women- and youth-led agribusinesses across Nigeria, with 80% of participants being women.
Dr. Salamatu founded WOFAN in March 1993 to address the challenges faced by rural women and youth in Northern Nigeria, while she was still serving as a university lecturer
Under her leadership, WOFAN has made significant strides in advancing the economic, social, and political empowerment of millions of rural women and youths across Africa, transforming agriculture into viable agribusinesses
The organization has facilitated access to finance and technical knowledge, creating positive linkages across agricultural value chains.
WOFAN has also made substantial contributions to community infrastructure, constructing and maintaining hundreds of water and sanitation facilities in schools and health centres across Northern Nigeria.
Additionally, it has built and donated 12 community schools, Islamiyah schools, and mosques to support the educational and spiritual needs of underprivileged families
In February 2022, Salamatu was recognized by Bayero University’s Centre for Dryland Agriculture (CDA) with an Outstanding NGO Award for her contributions to agricultural development.
She was appointed Chairperson of the Board of Trustees for Farm Radio International, Canada, in November 2021, overseeing policy and programmatic performance in Nigeria as part of the global Farm Radio network.
Dr. Garba has served as the national consultant for the UNDP’s food security initiatives across seven Nigerian states from 2017 to 2021.
Currently, she is the Country Project Director for the Nigeria Mastercard-funded five-year WOFAN-ICON2 project, which spans 10 states.
She holds a Master’s degree from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, and a PhD in Gender and Development from the ”university of Wolverhampton, UK.
Additionally, she earned a PhD in Sociology of Peace from the United Nations Institute of Peace and Conflict Resolution (UN-POLAC), which led to her recognition as a UN Ambassador of Peace for her efforts in promoting peace and improving livelihoods.
Salamatu remains steadfast in her commitment to empowering rural communities and advocating for sustainable agricultural practices through her extensive work.
The recent event celebrating her achievements was attended by a diverse audience, many of whom praised her dedication and tireless advocacy for development.
Solace Base