The Budget Committee Group (BCG) has called for increased budgetary allocation and support for women farmers in Kwara.
The call was made yesterday during an advocacy visit to the state office of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, in collaboration with the Small-scale Women Farmers Organisation in Nigeria (SWOFON).
Mr Abdurrahman Ayuba, the coordinator of the Scaling Up Public Investment in Agriculture (SUPIA) project, noted that women form the highest contributors within the agricultural value chain, yet receive less support than their male counterparts.
He noted that women farmers are responsible for producing most of the food consumed locally, as opposed to being engaged in export-oriented farming.
He therefore urged the government to increase funding for agriculture, with specific attention to the needs of women.
While commending the ministry for the equipment already provided to SWOFON members, Ayuba appealed for continued and expanded support to strengthen women’s participation in agriculture.
During a courtesy visit to the Managing Director of the Kwara Agricultural Development Project (ADP), Dr Khadijah Ahmed, Ayuba expressed concern over the reduction in the 2025 agriculture budget to 0.97 per cent, down from 1.49 per cent.
He noted that this figure falls below the 10 per cent commitment stipulated in the 2003 Maputo Declaration.
He further advocated for the adoption of climate-resilient and sustainable agricultural practices, including the provision of irrigation technologies to support dry-season farming.
He also stressed the importance of reducing post-harvest losses through improved processing and storage infrastructure.
SWOFON Secretary, Alhaja Titi Salami, called for the introduction of gender-friendly farming technologies and urged the government to ensure adequate budgetary provisions for women and youth in agriculture.
She also commended the ministry’s continued support for women farmers across the state.
In her response, Ahmed reaffirmed the ministry’s commitment to supporting SWOFON members and pledged to keep them informed of future opportunities for which they may be eligible.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the budget advocacy is part of the ActionAid-supported SUPIA initiative, which comprises 12 participating organisations. (NAN)
