Investing in food production key to ending recession – Senate

The apex chamber of the National Assembly NASS on Thursday, said investing in food production and manpower through support for small holders women farmers is key to leading the country out of recession.

It said this will bring about food security and poverty eradication in line with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) which task nations on the eradication of poverty, achieving gender equality, women and girls, end hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition.

The Senator representing Lagos-Central Senatorial District, Mrs Oluremi Tinubu stated this in Abuja at a National Policy Dialogue on Sustainable Development Goals and Hunger Eradication, organised by the Women Advocates Research and Documentation Centre (WARDC).

Mrs.Tinubu, who spoke on the theme: “Roadmap to an Inclusive Policy Option for Female Smallholder Farmers in Nigeria Agricultural Sector”, stressed the role of women in the sector.

According to her, a vast number of Nigerian farmers especially in the rural areas are women, whose productivities are often restricted due to cultural norm and values.

Her words:”Overall, women’s access to land is restricted owing to the fact that our society is patriarchal and in certain cases prohibits women from owning landed property. This has a direct effect on poverty rates.

“We cannot talk about empowering our citizens to undertake agricultural work without stressing the role that women play in food production and processing.

“A good number of Nigerian farmers, particularly those in the rural communities are women. The number could be higher and output better with increased access to credit and training facilities.

“As a nation, we must invest in food production. We must also invest in manpower to get maximum results. A Nigeria with more farmers like Susan Godwin producing to their maximum potential is one in which we will have food security and be able to eradicate poverty,” she said.

However, she expressed the Senate’s commitment to ending hunger, poverty and ensuring better welfare for women farmers.

“We must ensure all inclusive policies to ensure participation of various interests in our economy. It is however apparent that gender bias occurs in several other aspects of our lives and I am committed to doing my best to ensure that women get opportunities they deserve.

Earlier, Executive Director of WARDC, Dr.Abiola Akiyode-Afolabi warned that by failing to recognise the role of women in the agriculture sector, the country may still be faced with the huge burden of hunger and poverty.

She noted that women played a vital role in food and agriculture especially in terms of Agric Labour force, marketing and processing value chain.

“Women no doubt constitute about 50per cent of the population and if women efforts are not recognised in the Agricultural sector, the society might not be able to address the huge burden of hunger and poverty,” she added.