Bauchi Lawmakers Move to Empower Women in Agriculture
The Bauchi State House of Assembly has pledged stronger legislative support to boost women’s involvement in agriculture through gender-responsive policies and budgetary reforms.
Speaker of the House Abubakar Y. Sulaiman made the commitment on Monday during a courtesy visit by the Budget Committee Group (BCG), a civil society coalition advocating for inclusive agricultural policies.
Sulaiman stated that the Assembly is committed to facilitating the recruitment of more agricultural extension officers and crafting impactful intervention programmes that directly benefit women, recognising their vital contributions to the sector.
“We are working toward introducing a dedicated budget line specifically for women farmers to ensure their visibility in government planning and access to targeted agricultural support,” he said.
Despite the speaker’s assurances, BCG Chairperson Tabawa Atiku expressed concern over glaring gaps in the state’s 2025 agriculture budget. According to her, an assessment conducted by the group in collaboration with women farmer cooperatives revealed that only 1.6 percent of the total budget was allocated to agriculture—far below the 10 percent benchmark set by the African Union’s Malabo Declaration.
Atiku further noted that the current budget lacks a clear allocation for women farmers and overlooks critical components such as climate-resilient farming tools, labour-saving equipment, and agroecological practices necessary for long-term agricultural sustainability.
She urged the state government to increase funding for the sector, adopt inclusive budget planning, and implement reforms that provide easier access to credit and inputs and reduce post-harvest losses for farmers—especially women, who are often left behind.
The dialogue between the lawmakers and civil society groups signals a growing momentum in Bauchi toward more equitable agricultural development, with a focus on inclusion and accountability.
