Banner Online News

The case has been made for a minimum of 10 per cent of total annual budgets to be allocated to agriculture in fulfillment of the 10 per cent Maputo Declaration Commitment.
Also, the case was made for women, especially the Small holder Women farmers, to be involved in the agricultural budgeting processes, as these groups constitute a highest level of farmers in the country.
The calls were part of other cases made recently at a one day annual activities of Smallholder Women farmers, organised by Environmental and Rural Mediation Centre (ENVIRUMEDIC) with support from ActionAid Nigeria (AAN).
In a communique at the end of the annual get together, the group under Smallholder Women Farmers Network (Showfan), Delta State Chapter, while commending the NGO’s, advocated for among other things, Smallholder women farmers should be involved in agriculture budget and policy making processes.

The communiqué stated: “A minimum of 10 per cent of total annual budget should be allocated to agriculture in fulfillment of the 10 per cent Maputo Declaration Commitment.
“Smallholder women farmers should work closely with their respective LGA to have quick access to government agricultural interventions.

“Cheap and easy access to credit at single digit interest rate should be made available to smallholder women farmers across Nigeria.

“The Land Use Act should be reviewed to address the issues of gender discrimination in land ownership.
“Government should provide necessary farm inputs to smallholder women farmers to enhance agricultural productivity.

“To build resilience to climate change, smallholder women farmers should be trained on Climate Resilient Sustainable Agriculture practices by the ministries of agriculture and provided with access to organic fertilizers and organic control of pest.

“Timely delivery of agricultural inputs to farmers during farming seasons to maximize production.

“Smallholder Women Farmers should be trained on/given quick maturing farm input to enable them harvest their farm produce before the onset of flood.”
Speaking on the side of the programme, the Chief Executive Officer of Envirumedic, Chief Monday Rouna Itoghor, said that study carried out had shown that the smallholder women farmers are the main providers of food in the country, and that necessary assistance should be given to them to ensure that their works are made easy.
Also speaking, the leader of the group in the state, Dr. Rachael Ruppee-Missan, called on the government to always carry the women in all their plans in improving food production in the state.