Small Scale Girls Farmers Organisation in Nigeria, SWOFON, Kogi State chapter, has decried the influence of lack of entry to agricultural inputs, saying it has affected meals manufacturing within the state.
SWOFON stakeholders made this disclosure on Wednesday throughout the presentation of the group scorecard on smallholder ladies farmers’ entry to Agricultural inputs, in partnership with Kogi State Finances Committee Group, BCG, with help from ActionAid Nigeria, in Lokoja.
Talking, the Kogi State Coordinator of SWOFON, Hajiya Rukayat Lare Ahmed, referred to as on the Ministry of Agriculture and Animal Husbandry within the state to help members of the organisation with well timed distribution of matured seeds, including that it was key to attaining zero starvation.
She stated, “The precise time is now. We have now began getting ready for the wet season. What’s subsequent? We anticipate seeds, we wish mature seeds.
*We anticipate that the Ministry will help us. It’s not everybody that has the cash to purchase early-matured seeds, that’s the reason we wish ladies to be empowered. When ladies are empowered it can enhance the meals manufacturing of the state, what we wish is to get to zero starvation.”
Additionally, the Programme Officer of SWOFON, Hamza Aliyu, whereas presenting the scorecard, stated smallholder farmers dominate the agricultural sector, including that they produce 90 per cent of the entire output.
“But they’ve difficulties accessing agricultural inputs. Girls make up 70 per cent of agricultural labour, 50 per cent of animal husbandry-related actions and 60 per cent of meals processing actions,” Hamza added.
He urged members to scrutinise the scorecard which had inputs from ladies farmers throughout the 21 ocal authorities areas of the state.
Hamza stated, “Even whether it is adverse it can hold us scaling up, it can assist us to maneuver ahead. We need to see progress in agricultural actions in Kogi State.
“We need to see how ladies farmers can have entry to inputs; with out inputs there isn’t any agriculture. It is a stunning time to take a look at it.”
On his half, the Kogi Commissioner for Agriculture, Timothy Ojomah, stated entry to inputs has been a significant problem, including that the current administration has recognised the significance of ladies in farming.
“With reference to inputs this has been a really major problem as a result of it could’t get to all people however the current authorities has recognised the significance of ladies farmers in Kogi State.
“Your management ought to be energetic as to our actions within the Ministry in order that by the point we begin distribution they may know,” Ojomah added.
He lauded the ladies farmers for involving the Ministry of their actions.
