Small Scale Women Farmers Organisation of Nigeria (SWOFON) has urged the National Agricultural Development Fund (NADF) to prioritise the plight of women farmers for enhanced agricultural production and food secured nation.
The immediate past President of the association, Mrs Mary Afan made the appeal in an interview on Monday in Abuja.
Afan, who identified women farmers as responsible for food production in the country, however, said that they lacked access to land, fund, credit, mechanisation, extension services among others in the country.
She said that they could only farm between zero and two hectres of land because cultures and traditions denied women ownership or inheritance to land in the country and some parts of Africa.
The Agric expert, however, urged MADF to prioritise smallholder women farmers in all its programmes and interventions geared towards food security and sustainability.
“NADF should give special attention to smallholder women farmers who are the major producers of food, we put food on the table of every household.
“So in making sure that this fund intervenes in bringing food security to the nation, the interest of smallholder women farmers have to be considered.
“We appeal for the fund to intervene in procuring small farming implements, like power tiller and hand planters that the women can operate independently,” she said.
According to Afan, if we don’t encourage smallholder farmers, we will be at risk of not being able to feed ourselves as a country and we would lack empowerment in that area.
“Special interventions should be looked into on how smallholder women farmers will be able to have access to NADF directly because when it passes through commercial banks, the organisation will have big challenges of access.
“We are over two million grassroot farmers grouped into cooperatives, so NADF can leverage on SWOFON in ensuring the nation achieve food security and sustainability.
NADF established by the Federal Government is mandated to address agricultural finance challenges and enhance Nigeria’s agricultural potential.
These include, providing financial and technical support to agricultural projects that boost food production, create jobs and improve farmer livelihoods.
It also promotes sustainable development and food security by bridging the funding gap, facilitating access to finance for farmers, and strengthening the agricultural ecosystem.
NAN
