Women farmers under the umbrella of the All Farmers Association of Nigeria ( AFAN) Women wing, have appealed to stakeholders to grant them more access to credit and land for agricultural purposes.
This they said would boost food production and guarantee food security in the country, considering the fact that Nigerian women, constitute 70-80% of the agricultural labor force, and also play pivotal roles in the food and agricultural value chain.
The National women Leader of AFAN, Mrs Enitan Onitiri, who disclosed this in Abuja at a Press conference, said the women farmers have since aligned with the food production agenda of President Tinubu.
” Despite their significant contributions, they face challenges in accessing land, credit facilities, training, technology, and more”
She noted, ” am using this medium to reach out to other women organizations and groups both private and public to collerborate and partner with us in area of Women capacity building in Agricultural business, Agro export, Extension services, Agro produce market access, Excotic vegetables farming, Agro produce processing and packaging, farm machinery, etc.
” We have a lot of programs to empower women across the country in order to drive Agric sector and position women where they are supposed to be as far as agribusiness is concerned.
Also speaking, Ms Svensson Omolara – Abati, the Head of Women in Agric, Southern region noted that Nigerian women farmers need more training and empowerment.
She disclosed that, ” Women’s empowerment in agriculture is not just about improving food production but also addressing broader issues of gender equality and discrimination. Women still lack a voice in decision-making and policy matters.
” AFAN, in its fight against hunger and poverty, holds a crucial position. I commit to tirelessly assisting women nationwide in realizing their agricultural potential and ensuring they have opportunities for food sufficiency.
Our work plans include organizing symposiums for women’s training and establishing cooperative societies to provide micro-credit, mentorship, farm inputs, and access to local and international markets”.
