Ondo Women Smallholder Farmers Demand Implementation Of Gender Policy

AS part of measures to ensure equal access and gender-sensitive approaches to food production in the country, the Small Scale Wowen Farmers Organisation of Nigeria (SWOFON) and the ActionAid Nigeria (AAN) have called on federal and states governments to implement gender policy in the agricultural sector.

Speaking during a stakeholders’ forum organised by JPDC, the Presidentof the SWOFON in the state, Mrs. Grace Oyediji, stressed the need for Federal Government and the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development to create budget lines to fund the implementation of the National Gender Policy in agriculture towards supporting small holders women farmers’ productivity.

Oyediji who called for the creation of special budget lines to fund the implementation of the national gender policy in agriculture said this will ensure equity, through periodic impact analysis of all agricultural policies, programmes, projects, and activities of smallholder women farmers.

She said governments should also eliminate all forms of culture or religious-based gender biases in agriculture, appealed to the state government to ensure prompt release of funds for the implementation of programmes by MDAs innthe agriculture sector as budgeted for the smallholder women farmers.

Oyediji lamented that agriculture loan from banks meant for women farmers are usually diverted by government officials, noting that governments have failed to make specific provisions.

source tribuneonlineng.com