WIMA Advocates Gender-sensitive Agricultural Policies To Boost Productivity

The Women in Mechanised Agriculture (WIMA) initiative has called for the urgent adoption of gender-sensitive agricultural policies to enhance productivity and ensure equitable access to mechanised farming for rural women across Nigeria.

Speaking at a stakeholders’ engagement workshop in Abuja, WIMA President Aisha Yakubu Bako emphasised that without intentionally including women in mechanised agriculture policies and interventions, Nigeria risks falling short of its food security and development goals.

“We are advocating policies that go beyond rhetoric, ones that deliberately include women in access to inputs, land, equipment, and finance. Mechanisation is not just about machines; it’s about enabling women to produce more, earn more, and contribute meaningfully to the economy,” Bako said.

The organisation, which currently has over 300 women farmers and equipment operators across Nigeria, aims to empower one million women by 2030.

“Our vision is bold but achievable. We believe that no woman is too rural to be reached, and no farm is too small to benefit from mechanisation,” Bako said.

WIMA’s strategy includes deploying solar-powered agricultural hubs and digital learning tools to reach rural and underserved communities.

Dr Aisha Waziri Umar, chair of WIMA’s Board of Trustees, noted that the gender gap in agricultural mechanisation is a social and economic challenge.

“Many policies still assume the male farmer as default, sidelining women who form a significant percentage of the agricultural workforce,” she said.

She highlighted the need for inclusive budgeting, flexible financing, and women-specific training programmes.

“We cannot talk about national productivity if half of our producers are excluded from the tools and policies that drive growth,” she added.

WIMA is also working closely with partners, including PropCom+, the MasterCard Foundation, and state agricultural development programmes, to scale its model. Its women-led approach promotes ownership, climate-smart practices, and income diversification.

As the country grapples with rising food prices and climate threats, WIMA’s push for policy reform is a timely reminder that empowering women is not just good social practice—it is a sound economic strategy.