Women Farmers Seeks Government Support to Boost Food Security
By Esther Enna
Small-Scale Women Farmers in the country have sought for the implementation of policies that prioritize sustainable agro-input subsidies and grants for women as part of efforts to enhance food security.
At a two day stakeholders’ engagement in Lafia, the Nasarawa State Capital, Programme Coordinator of the Small-Scale Women Farmers Organization in Nigeria (SWOFON), Mrs Ogechi Okebugwu made the appeal while stressing the need for targeted support to improve productivity among the female farmers.
It is a common knowledge that female farmers play a crucial role in food security in Nigeria with the Food and Agriculture Organization, FAO of the United Nations reporting that women make up about eigty percent of smallholder farmers in the country and contribute up to ninety per cent of its food crop production.
Despite these contributions, Mrs Ogechi Okebugwu noted that women farmers have continued to face challenges such as limited access to land, credit, and modern farm inputs.
She urged the Nasarawa State government and relevant stakeholders to provide agricultural infrastructure, subsidies, and policy support to empower female farmers to maximize their potentials.
Programme Manager at the Centre for Social Justice, Abuja,Mr Sundayson Chidi who spoke on the “System Change Concept”, emphasized the need
for governments at all levels,privileged individuals and corporate organizations to increase their support to women in agriculture to boost food security in Nasarawa State and beyond.
Key stakeholders at the meeting including Doctor Bako Sani Adamu of the Faculty of Agriculture, Nasarawa State University and Programme Manager of Nasarawa Agricultural Development Programme NADP,Umar Jibril Nuhu acknowledged the contribution of women to Agriculture and
pledged to collaborate with relevant actors in the agricultural value chain to achieve higher yields and improve productivity.
National Public Relations Officer of SWOFON Hajiya Marka Abbas and the Nasarawa State Coordinator Mrs. Jummai Yohana, commended Governor Abdullahi Sule for prioritizing agriculture and urged the state government to provide essential farm inputs and modern farming technologies to enhance productivity among women farmers.
The engagement brought together representatives from SWOFON, Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development, Nasarawa Agricultural Development Programme, NADP, YMCA,ASSAPIN, Ministry of Special Duties on Humanitarian Services, Ministry of Finance Budget and Planning and Non-Governmental Organizations NGO’s.
