‘ Smallholder women farmers with less than 23% access to credit, others’

NATIONWIDE, smallholder women farmers currently have only 18 per cent access to processing facilities, 16.60 per cent access to storage facilities, 13.50 per cent access to off- takers/ access to markets, 9.60 per cent to transportation for agricultural produce and 42.30 per cent access to training.

The data were obtained from a study conducted through Value Addition Biennial Review Toolkit ( VABKIT) that reflected realities of smallholder women farmers across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory ( FCT).

Country Director, Actionaid Nigeria, Ene Obi, made the disclosure, yesterday, at the ongoing National Dialogue & Dissemination on Nigeria’s performance at the third biennial review exercise on implementation of the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development ( CAADP), in Abuja.

She said: “On agricultural credit, they have access to less than 23 per cent of existing credit facilities, and only 4.77 per cent access to agricultural insurance. On access to and control over land, about 59 per cent of them have access to land, 29.77 per cent have control, while only 11.23 per cent are engaged in land governance discussions.”