SWOFON urges support for women in agriculture
By Mohammed Baba Busu
Small-Holders Women Farmers Organisations in Nigeria (SWOFON) has called on governments and other stakeholders to support women agriculture.
The National President of SWOFON, Mrs Fatima Bala-Gummi, made the call on Saturday at a stakeholders engagement organised by the organisations in Minna.
The group said doing so would boost food security efforts in the country.
She was represented at the event by the national financial officer of the organisation, Mrs Bosede Anifowoshe,
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the engagement programme tagged Strengthening Partnership in Agricultural Research Knowledge (SPARK-2) drew participants drawn from MDAs, media and Civil Society Organisation (CSOs).
The two-day event was organised by Niger State chapter of SWOFON with support from International Budget Partnership (IBP).
Bala-Gummi urged women in the state to participate actively in agriculture.
She called on the government to be more gender-friendly by providing gender friendly machines, road networks to farms and markets, as well as timely release of farm inputs to women.
While appreciating Niger government efforts in agriculture, she advocated that women farmers should be involved in planning and decision making in agric sector.
She called for improvement in road infrastructure, saying good roads were vital in boosting food production in the country.
“We need good roads that will link to the markets. This will boost our revenue and there will be speedy development in the country,” she said.
The Permanent Secretary, Niger State Ministry of Agriculture, Dr Mathew Ahmed, represented by the Chief Planning Officer, Mohammed Nasir-Usman, applauded SWOFON for the programme and assured it of the ministry’s support.
He said there were lots of agencies and partners under the ministry that would support SWOFON.
The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Women Affairs, Hajiya Hadiza Shiru, represented by the Director Women Affairs, Larai Ibrahim said that the ministry has the mandate of ensuring the welfare and needs of the women.
She noted that the empowerment of women would not only boost Agricultural production, but would also improve on their standard of living and that of their family members.
Shiru assured of the state government support to the organisation to succeed.
Niger State Coordinator, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, Dr Ladan Suleiman, said in spite of several intervention programmes in agriculture there was still room for improvement.
He declared the ministry’s support for SWOFON, and urged all organisations involved in agricultural to accord women farmers the much needed backing.
The state coordinator assured of the Federal Government’s continued commitment to provide agriculture inputs for women and other farmers for bumper harvest.
Suleiman commended members of the association for embracing agriculture and adding value to the development of the country.
Earlier in her welcome address, the State Coordinator, SWOFON, Mrs Grace Disa, urged the male farmers to see women farmers as partners in progress.
Disa urged the participants to play their parts in ensuring that SWOFON realised its potential.
“We need to work hand in hand. We need your support to succeed and to improve on agricultural activities in the country,” she said.(NAN)
