Key into programmes to enhance food security, Kwara govt charges women farmers

Women farmers in Kwara State have been encouraged to participate in various government agricultural development programs to help them transition from small-scale to large-scale farming and contribute to food security.

Speaking at the 2024 World Food Day event organized by the Centre for Community Empowerment and Poverty Eradication (CCEPE), the State Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development, Mrs. Oloruntoyosi Thomas, stated that both Nigeria and Kwara State have not yet achieved full food security, despite ongoing government efforts to address the issue.

The World Food Day program, organized in collaboration with the Small-Scale Women Farmers Organisation in Nigeria (SWOFON) and the state Ministry of Agriculture, was themed “Rights to Food for a Better Life and Better Future.”

Representing the commissioner, a director in the ministry, Mallam Aliyu Abubakar, acknowledged that while the government’s efforts could be improved, many programs have been introduced to enhance food security and sufficiency.

“There are numerous programs available that, if utilized, can help women farmers transition from small-scale to large-scale farming,” he said. “With women’s active participation, we believe we can gradually work toward achieving food security.”

Echoing this message, the State Coordinator of the Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zone (SAPZ), Dr. Oluwatoyin Busari, noted that the government has established Agriculture Transformation Centers in four locations across the state to serve as raw material production hubs.

He explained that materials produced in these centers would be sent to the Agro-Industrial Hub in Malete for final processing. He urged SWOFON members to register at the four designated centers to benefit from the program, which he said would significantly help close the gap in food production.

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The Managing Director of the Kwara Agricultural Development Programme (ADP), Dr. Khadijat Ahmed, reaffirmed the ADP’s commitment to ensuring food security and sufficiency. Represented by Alhaji Aliyu Aiyelabegan, she emphasized that the ADP has consistently provided women farmers with necessary information, training, inputs, and the latest technologies.

CCEPE Executive Director, Mr. Abdurrahman Ayuba, highlighted the program’s goal of paving a new path to food security by ensuring access to affordable and nutritious food. He praised the government for hosting the event and stressed that the right to food is a fundamental human right that must not be compromised.

In her remarks, SWOFON Coordinator Mrs. Elizabeth Ndako urged the government to consider gender inclusivity when formulating agricultural policies, particularly regarding women farmers. She also called on the government to address security challenges affecting farming practices in the state.

She further appealed for improvements in road infrastructure to facilitate the transport of farm produce to markets, erosion control in Patigi Local Government Area, and the promotion of irrigation for year-round farming.

Mrs. Titi Ade Salami called for timely government intervention in providing modern farming equipment and training for women farmers. She also advocated for a single-digit interest rate on agricultural loans for women farmers.

Mrs. Sikirat Olohunoje, a cassava, sorghum, and maize farmer, called for the creation of farm estates in each of the state’s three senatorial districts to help address the issue of inadequate farmland for women farmers.

Memunat Iyabo Giwa, the State Coordinator of the Nigeria Women for Agriculture Progressive and Development Initiative, urged the government to provide machinery such as tractors, harvesters, and planters to women farmers at minimal cost.

Highlights of the event included a food exhibition, agricultural produce sales, and a plenary session.