The Olu of Warri Kingdom, His Majesty Ogiame Atuwatse III CFR, has pledged his support to Positive Impact for Women and Youth Development Initiatives (PIWYODI).
The monarch made this commitment when the group paid a courtesy visit to his palace in Warri.
The king described the initiative as a welcomed development, emphasizing the importance of farming as a major source of development in a nation.
He promised to encourage the people to adopt rice farming, given the state’s ideal soil conditions for large-scale cultivation.
Earlier, the National Coordinator of PIWYODI, Mrs. Martha Onadeko, represented by the National Publicity Secretary, Mrs. Timinepere Jombo Idoko, outlined the group’s objectives.
She stated that PIWYODI is a registered non-governmental organization focused on empowering women and youths through practical and sustainable channels, with a current emphasis on rice farming.
The group’s goal is to empower 10,000 women and youths across all local government areas in Delta State by the end of 2026.
Mrs. Idoko noted that Nigeria imports up to 2 million metric tonnes of rice annually, and Delta State’s soil is ideal for large-scale rice cultivation.
The State Coordinator of PIWYODI, Mary Sam, highlighted the challenges faced by the group, including the absence of rice milling machines, threshers, and modern rice processing equipment, limited access to improved rice seedlings, and lack of funding for leasing and acquisition of storage facilities.
The Olu of Warri Kingdom concluded the visit with a prayer session, blessing the group and their initiatives.