Create budget for sustainable, climate resilient agriculture, women farmers urge Gombe govt
Small-Scale Women Farmers Organization in Nigeria (SWOFON), Gombe State chapter, on Tuesday, lamented the impact of climate change on agricultural productivity in the state.
The State Chairperson, SWOFON, Mrs. Airudia Mamman expressed the women farmers’ concern in Gombe at the end of a one-day Stakeholders Consultative Meeting on the 2025 agriculture budget.
Mamman, while reading the communiqué said climate related issues had resulted in the reduction of crop yields, threatened food security, as well as the livelihoods of women farmers.
She said that yields by some farmers in the state in recent times showed that climate change had a significant negative effect on agricultural productivity.
She said that in view of that, there was the need for actions to be taken to mitigate such impact towards ensuring food availability in the state.
She stated that the impact of climate change had been felt most by women farmers in the state.
She appealed for more support to women farmers and to promote climate smart agriculture, noting that such supports were needed to tackle hunger and food unavailability.
Mamman said agro-ecology-based Climate Resilient Sustainable Agriculture (CRSA) remained the most effective way to tackle the crisis of climate change and food insufficiency.
“Budget lines for Climate Resilient Sustainable Agriculture (CRSA)/Agro-ecology should be created and adequately provided in the budget to support climate change mitigation, adaptation, and sustainable agricultural production,” she said.
SWOFON chairperson in the state also called on the state government to prioritise timely disbursements of funds to support women and youths in agriculture.
She stated that such would greatly boost food sufficiency, create wealth for poor and vulnerable farmers, and ensure self-employment.
“A budget line for credits and loans for SWOFON and youths in the state should be created to further support smallholder women farmers in the state, “ she said.
Mamman said it was imperative for the government to continue to support women farmers in the state as they played vital roles in agricultural production and were key to achieving food security.
For his part, Mr Barnabas Malle, the Commissioner for Agriculture and Animal Husbandry and Cooperatives, restated the commitment of the state government to supporting all farmers in the state.
Malle, who was represented by Mr Jonathan Bulus, Assistant Chief Principal Superintendent at the ministry, said that part of efforts to improve the agriculture sector led to the subsidising of fertilisers and other farm implements.
He said that the government was committed to increasing budgetary allocations to the sector.
Malle advised women farmers in the state to leverage the free extension services available in rural areas to improve their yields.
“Women farmers can also take advantage of the tractors being hired at subsidised rates.
“Some mini tractors can be hired at the rate of N50, 000 per day as against the normal price of N150, 000, and this can till six hectares daily.
“We also have the power tiller which can be hired a week at the rate of N30, 000 as against N70, 000 and can till four hectares per day.
“They should take advantage of these services at our farm centres to improve their productivity,” he said.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the meeting was organised by the Gombe State chapter of SWOFON, Hope Foundation for the Lonely.
This was in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture and Animal Husbandry and Cooperatives, with support from ActionAid Nigeria.
