Women farmers seek inclusion in implementation of agricultural budget

Women farmers under the aegis of Smallholder Women Farmers Organisation in Nigeria (SWOFON) have called for gender inclusion in implementation of agricultural budgets at all levels of government, saying 75 per cent of farmers in Nigeria are women.

The National President of the association, Mrs. Mary Afan made the call on behalf of other women farmers during a ‘Public Dialogue on Gender-Responsive Agriculture Policy’, organised by SWOFON and the International Budget Partnership.

Afan observed the need for inclusion of women farmers in national budgeting processes and implementation to boost food security and production.

The SWOFON president pointed out that most women farmers in Nigeria still use obsolete equipment on their farms, while the number of those who depend on Nigerian farmers for food is increasing. According to her, the need to mechanise farms has become imperative, noting that socio-economic effects of insecurity and flooding across the country had led to reduction in crop yields and income for women farmers.

On his part, Country Manager, International Budget Partnership, Mr. Austin Ndiokwelu, informed that agriculture is responsible for about a quarter of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP), being the second-highest contributor in the country.

Also, Lead Director, Centre for Social Justice (CSJ), Mr. Eze Onyekpere, said small scale women farmers make up 60 per cent of the farming population in Nigeria and produce 70 per cent of food consumed nationally.

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