Smallholder Women Farmers in Ondo state have stressed the need for the state government to invest more in agriculture to ensure food security and also to address the strategic areas of investments that would increase the agricultural Gross Domestic Product (GDP)
The Ondo State Coordinator, Smallholder Women Farmers Organisation of Nigeria (SWOFON), Grace Oyediji, made this call at a Post-2024 World Food Day interactive forum with the theme; “Right to foods for a better life and a better future” in Ondo state, held in Akure, the state capital.
She explained that the programme which was put together by ActionAid Nigeria in partnership with JDPC, Smallholder Women Farmers Organization in Nigeria (SWOFON) and Ondo State Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry said the strategic areas of investments would help increase the agricultural GDP by six percent.
According to her, the strategic areas of investments include; extension services, access to credit, women in agriculture, youth in agriculture, appropriate labour-saving technologies, inputs, post-harvest loss reduction supports (processing facilities, storage facilities, trainings, market access, etc.), irrigation, climate among others.
She, therefore, said if the government can consider the Agro-women initiatives important by allocating more funds and grant full access to the budget lines for strategic approach, it would definitely help towards food security, hunger and poverty reduction in the state.
Oyediji maintained that the gathering was not only to commemorate World Food Day that was crucial to global food systems but to reflect upon the important role that women farmers play in ensuring food security and nutrition across our nation.
The SWOFON coordinator, who also called for more budgetary allocations to women farmers to help encourage them in food production and security in Ondo state said; “we stand united in our commitment to combat hunger and promote sustainable agriculture.”
“We request for land access, control and utilization to enable us to practise cluster farming for enhanced productivity and have improved livelihood towards wealth creation, job opportunity and ability to feed the state.
“More markets should be built in the communities where SWOFON will be able to have their organic products for sale.
“For sustainable practices, we request that the Ministry of Agriculture and other allies should consider it imperative to train both women and youth on climate-smart agricultural practices to enhance resilience to climate change,” she said.
The Programme Officer, JDPC, Oluwatobi Olayemi, urged the state government to invest more in agriculture so that hunger can be reduced in the state.
“We call on the Ondo State government to increase the budgetary allocation of the ministry of agriculture in order to have enough foods in the state. There must be an agenda that will carry everybody along,” Olayemi said.
The Ondo State Commissioner for Agriculture and Forestry, Olayato Aribi, described women farmers under the auspices of SWOFON), as “vital partners” in progress.
According to Aribo, the administration of Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa is committed to streamlining the Agricultural sector for all round the year farming activities toward massive food production and development of the state.
“We expect a lot from our resilient women farmers in SWOFON and other organisations to rise to the challenge of producing more food to feed citizens,” he said.
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