‘ Empower women farmers to tackle food insecurity’

THE Farmers Aggregators Initiative of Nigeria has asserted that the solution to food insecurity in the country is in empowerment of women farmers across the country.

This is just as the group unveiled plans to mobilise 5,000 women from each of the 36 states and Federal Capital Territory to boost food production in the country.

The Executive Director of the group, Mr Cornelius Ageniyi, while speaking at a stakeholders meeting on mainstreaming gender into the agricultural sector, said he fully agree with the popular adage that says ‘ when you empower women, you build a nation.

He pointed out that though the country is experiencing food crisis as a result of many factors, including climate change, lack of funds, shortage of farm implements, communal crises, farmer/ herder crisis among others, but in all of this, the initiative firmly believe that the solution to food crisis lies in the massive support for women in agricultural business because they drive the food value chain.

Ageniyi said, to this end, the initiative has scheduled to hold a summit in October 2024 with the theme: Achieving Sustainable Development Goals through mainstreaming gender inclusion in rural agricultural value chain.

He stated that the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, as well as the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs has officially endorsed them to organise the summit, adding that they have also drawn support from other agencies, parastatals, private organisations ahead of the summit. Ageniyi disclosed that the proposed summit is aimed at accessing resources given to women farmers, saying women often lack access to land, finance, inputs, and technology.

He said there is need for policies and programmes that promote gender- sensitive agricultural investments and ensure women have equal access to these essential resources.

In terms of market access, Ageniyi noted that women farmers face challenges in accessing markets and obtaining fair prices for their produce, adding that efforts must be made to integrate women into agricultural value chains and provide them with market information and opportunities.