The United Nations (UN) has identified a lack of finance, infrastructure, and land ownership as the problems of rural farmers in Nigeria.
This was disclosed by Lansana Wonneh, Deputy Country Representative for United Nation’s Women In Nigeria, in Calabar on Thursday, at the celebration of the United Nations International Day Of Rural Women.
“This celebration is important for two reasons, one is to acknowledge the fact that women particularly I’m Nigeria do the bulk of the work around food production, processing and marketing of food commodities.
“And while they do that job, they face a lot of challenges, around the fact that they are not included in the process of decision making, no participation in governance, they don’t get resources from government, or the private sector.
“So, they have issues of lack of infrastructure, lack of financial support, and access to land and land ownership. So, we want to make sure they realise their rights, are given adequate resources, and that they are able to produce more, get more income and take better care of their families. So we are here to work with the government and the people of Nigeria to transform the situation of the UN women and in this case, the rural women, he said”
Also speaking, on “The role of Women in Transforming Agriculture”, Professor Caroline Aboh, from the University of Calabar, said: “The women should be encouraged to expand their farms. And should be given access to lucrative markets. They should be more educated. Women are the engine of the growth of every society”.
Meanwhile, the Cross River State Commissioner for Agriculture, represented by Mr Nathaniel Nkor, charged the rural farmers to, “Consider the production of not just food but good food. Downplay the use of chemicals but use more organic fertilizers. Women are champions in the cultivation and production of cassava.
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