Alfred Ajayi
The Smallholder Women Farmers Organisation in Nigeria (SWOFON), Anambra State Chapter, has unveiled a policy brief calling for gender-responsive agricultural policies, increased budgetary allocations and improved access to resources for women farmers to strengthen food security.
The policy brief was presented during SWOFON’s national campaign themed “Women Farmers: Voice to Action,” aimed at amplifying the priorities of smallholder women farmers and securing concrete commitments from government and development partners on agricultural policy, budgeting and implementation.
In a welcome address, Mrs Georgina Akunyiba, the state Coordinator for SWOFON, enumerated the essence of the event, saying the event aimed at presenting key findings and recommendations from SWOFON’s Policy Brief and amplifying the voices and priorities of smallholder women farmers.
“It is also to engage government and other key stakeholders to secure commitments towards adopting and implementing gender-responsive agricultural policies, adequate budgetary allocations, and improved delivery of resources and services to smallholder women farmers,” she said.
In a goodwill message, the Country Director of the International Budget Partnership (IBP), Dr Yinka Babalola, represented by the Programme Coordinator Lilian Ibe, described smallholder women farmers as the backbone of Nigeria’s food system despite the enormous challenges they face.
She noted that women account for an estimated 70 per cent of Nigeria’s agricultural workforce and contribute up to 80 per cent of the country’s food production, adding that their contribution must be matched with adequate public investment.
While commending SWOFON’s progress since 2018 in enabling women’s participation in budget hearings and present Charters of Demands, Babalola observed that increased participation has not translated into improved service delivery.
“Participation is a precondition for influence. It is not the same thing as influence,” she said, urging governments to ensure that approved agricultural budgets are backed by timely releases that reach women at the grassroots.
Responding, the Anambra State Government pledged continued support for women farmers. Representing the Commissioner for Agriculture, Dr Ben Chuks Odoemena, Head of Department, Ministry of Agriculture, Mrs Ifeoma Nwafor, described women as the foundation of both the family and the nation’s food security.
“With SWOFON, women are feeding the nation. We will continue to support women farmers. Women are the backbone of our society, and the government recognised that, and we shall not stop assisting them,” she assured.
Also speaking, the Commissioner for Women Affairs, Mrs Esther Onyekesi, Head of Department, Women Affairs, represented by Mrs Ifeoma Ezoka, reaffirmed the ministry’s commitment to women empowerment, promising to defend the interests of women farmers and promote programmes that enhance their livelihoods.
The State Manager of the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN), Mrs Chito Onuzulike, said the agency would sustain its partnership with SWOFON through agro-processing and women entrepreneurship initiatives under its Women in Self Employment Programme (WISE-P).
Representing the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning, the Head of Department, Partnership Coordination, Mrs Obianamma Orji, pledged the ministry’s support for initiatives that advance the welfare of women farmers through responsive budgeting.
At the local government level, Head of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Nnewi North, Mr Cajetan Ajanobi, promised to integrate eligible SWOFON members into the council’s farmer empowerment register beginning next year.
At the end of the event, Chika Orji of the SWOFON National Secretariat reinforced the organisation’s commitment to improving the livelihoods of smallholder women farmers across Nigeria.
Orji, representing the SWOFON National Secretariat, said the organisation was committed to ensuring that the voices and demands of smallholder women farmers translate into concrete government policies, budgetary commitments and improved access to agricultural resources.
She said women farmers play a critical role in Nigeria’s food security but continue to face challenges in accessing land, finance, inputs, extension services and markets.
Orji called on government at all levels to ensure that agricultural policies and approved budgets are implemented in ways that directly benefit women farmers at the grassroots.
She said SWOFON would continue to work with government, civil society and development partners to promote gender-responsive agricultural policies and strengthen the capacity of women farmers to contribute more effectively to food production.
Various government representatives and other partners expressed their readiness to support SWOFON programmes and activities until the change sought is achieved.
The highlights of the event include the actual launch of the policy brief, a panel session and a press briefing during which SWOFON members shared their experiences from the beginning of the IBP intervention to date.