Economy
THE International Budget Partnership (IBP), says it is partnering with Smallholder Women Farmer Organisation of Nigeria (SWOFON), Niger government, and others, to establish a database for the organisation in the state.
Mr Joshua Arogunyo, Technical Consultant, IBP, disclosed this on Saturday in Minna, during a presentation at a strategic stakeholders engagement meeting on SWOFON.
Arogunyo said that the measure which would be replicated in 17 other states, would ensure improved service delivery for members of SWOFON in the state and in the country.
“This meeting with the SWOFON, government actors, women farmers and Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), is to have a database of ideas on what we are trying to setup for the women farmers in Niger state.
“The database we are trying to setup is a Federal Government project, but Niger State happens to be among the 18 benefiting states.
“It is all about improving government intervention areas around agriculture for women, because we noticed that whenever there was intervention for women in agriculture, it is diverted to the men,” he said.
He noted that women who made up about 70 per cent of the workforce in agriculture, ought to benefit immensely from such intervention programmes.
“Therefore what we are doing is to setup a database of important information that will help government target real smallholder women farmers and not political farmers,” he said.
Responding, Dr Mathew Ahmed, Permanent Secretary in the state’s Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, who promised to support the project, said the Federal Government would create the enabling environment for the development of smallholder women farmers.
Similarly, Mrs Chika Oji from SWOFON National Secretariat, Abuja, said that SWOFON had been in existence in the country since 2004.
Also, Mrs Ogechi Okebugwu, Programme Coordinator, SWOFON, Abuja, appealed for timely intervention of government at all levels since farming was time bound.
Mrs Grace Disa, the State Coordinator, SWOFON, lauded the programme, noting that it would help women farmers compile a comprehensive and reliable database in the state and across the federation. (NAN)
F.A
April 21, 2024
Tags: Niger SWOFON
