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By Akanji Alowolodo, Bauchi
The Bauchi State Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has been urged to as a matter of urgency, constitute a gender steering committee which will include members of Small Scale Women Farmers of Nigeria (SWOFON), for the implementation of the gender policy in the agricultural sector in a bid to offer equal access and gender- sensitive approaches towards food production.
The women farmers also called on the State Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development to conduct interactive sessions with women farmers to capture budget issues in order to make the budget and policy processes inclusive.
Bauchi State Chairperson of SWOFON, Hajiya Marka Abbas made this known on Friday during a one-day Interactive Forum on the 2022 World Food Day with theme “Leave no one behind”, organized by Small Scale Women Farmers in collaboration with Fahimta Women and Youth Development Initiative and the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development with support from ActionAid Nigeria, held in Bauchi.
According to the SWOFON Chairperson, the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development in consultations with small-holder women farmers, ministries, departments and agencies, development partners and civil society organizations produced the first National Gender Policy in Agriculture in Nigeria which was launched in 2019.
She revealed that, “The Bauchi state Government through the ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development should create budget lines for funding and implementation of the National Gender policy in Agriculture.Massive investments should focus on tackling post-harvest losses through processing and storage facilities, trainings, market access amongst others to mitigate problems of climate change, insecurity and farmers herders clashes in Bauchi state “
According to her, “On the implementation of the National Gender policy in Agriculture, Gender units in the state in collaboration with relevant agencies should train small-holder women farmers on climate change mitigation and adaptation strategies.
“The State government should urgently review the Land Use Act to address issues of gender discrimination in land ownership in the land ownership in the state” She said.
Also Speaking during the event, the State Commissioner, Ministry of Environment and Housing, Hamisu Muazu Shira , said that although Agriculture is the main source of income of about 80 percent of rural dwellers which contributes to more than 22 percent of National Gross Domestic product, the North-East region of the country still struggles with the problem of food insecurity which has over the years been compounded by the problem of climate change.
Represented by a Director in the Ministry, Mahmood Mohammed, the Commissioner said that poor agricultural practices and the problem of climate change will continue to pose a great challenge to the issue of food security if stringent measured are not taken into consideration, hence all hands must be on deck in order achieved food sufficiency.
In his remarks, Programme Manager of BSADP, Ja’afar Illelah stressed that there is the need to always consider women farmers in the development of agricultural programs in order to ensure availability of food.
He then assured that the BSADP will continue to implement programs that will boost food production by involving all categories of farmers associations in the state including SWOFON.
There were exhibition of some raw food items produced by members of SWOFON in Bauchi state.
