Women farmers urged to take advantage of agricultural programmes in Gombe
The Gombe State government has advised small-scale women farmers to take advantage of agricultural programmes in the state to boost food security.
Mr Barnabas Malle, the state’s Commissioner of Agriculture and Animal Husbandry and Cooperatives gave the advice in Gombe on Thursday while commemorating the 2024 World Food Day in the state.
Malle said that the state government had initiated several programmes and extension services aimed at supporting farmers to increase food availability in the state and country.
Malle who was represented by Mr Jonathan Bulus, Assistant Chief Principal Superintendent at the ministry said part of efforts to improve the agriculture sector led to the subsidising of fertilisers and other farm implements.
“I would like to call on the smallholders women farmers to take of advantage of the ministry’s programmes through extension and training, tractor hiring and free livestock vaccination.
“The ministry’s extension services are provided in all the 11 area offices of GSADP and farm service centres, equally the industrial training unit provides training in backyard garden farming and value addition among others.
“Our tractor hiring unit provide services at subsidised rate of N50,000 per day against the over N100,000 per day by commercial owners
“The Ministry also has power tillers rented out at N30,000 per week that can be accessed in our farm service centres
“Women can take advantage of our free animal vaccination and we also have anti-rabies vaccines, provide Livestock and veterinary services in all the LGAs, these should be leveraged by them, he said.
While commending the role of women in food production, Malle said that the contributions of smallholders women farmers in the state had helped in averting food shortage.
For her part, Hajiya Asma’u Yahaya, wide of Gombe State Governor, lauded the efforts of women farmers towards boosting the agriculture sector and ensuring food security in the state and country.
Yahaya, who was represented by Hajiya Fatima Omar, the Director of Administration and Finance, Gombe State Ministry of Women Affairs, said small-scale women farmers produce over 60 per cent of the food consumed.
She said women were major stakeholders in agricultural value chain and had been a part of all the processes of crop and animal production.
Yahaya advised women farmers in the state to embrace home gardening, adding that such would enhance food sufficiency, healthy and daily source of nutrition as well as source of income to the household.
The State Chairperson, SWOFON, Mrs. Airudia Mamman, while expressing women farmers’ concern in the state said increased investments in agriculture sector would result in food availability for the state.
Mamman called for more supports to women and youth farmers in the state while also urging government to release budgetary allocations to small-scale women farmers in the state.
She commended the state government for its supports to farmers, adding that with continued support, more women would be empowered and more jobs would be created.
“We urge the government to ensure timely release of funds allocated to small-scale farmers in the state annual budget to SWOFON to enable us implement our work plan towards boosting food security and reducing poverty.”
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the theme of the 2024 World Food Day which was marked on Wednesday is, “Right to Foods for a Better Life and a Better Future”
The event to commemorate the day in the state was organised by the Gombe State chapter of SWOFON, Hope Foundation for the Lonely.
This was done in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture and Animal Husbandry and Cooperatives with support from ActionAid Nigeria.
