Boosting women participation in agric to tackle food insecurity

By Okwe Obi, Abuja

Despite the federal, state and local governments’ commitment to fostering inclusive opportunities in food production, Nigerian women farmers continue to face formidable obstacles that hinder their full participation in the sector.

While policies promote gender equity in agriculture, the reality on the ground tells a different story, one of marginalisation and persistent struggles.

To encourage women’s involvement in agriculture, the wife of President Bola Tinubu, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, last year urged women to embrace the Every Home a Garden initiative to boost food production and enhance household nutrition.

“I would like to encourage all Nigerian women to join the #EveryHomeAGarden competition and get involved in farming and food production,” she had said.

However, many women were unable to participate due to systemic barriers, including limited access to land, financing, modern agricultural technologies, and training opportunities. These constraints have left them struggling to compete in an industry increasingly driven by mechanization and digital transformation.

Compounding these challenges is the reluctance of financial institutions to provide women farmers with credit facilities. Even when loans are available, they often come with unrealistic repayment plans, excessive guarantor requirements, and collateral demands that many women cannot meet.

Security concerns have also driven many women away from their farms. The threat of banditry, herder-farmer conflicts, kidnappings, and gender-based violence has made agricultural activities increasingly perilous. Fear of attack has forced several women to abandon their farmlands, leading to reduced food production and economic hardship.

Beyond these issues, the distribution of vital farming inputs, such as fertilizers and agrochemicals, is often skewed against women. Many report receiving either an insignificant share or none at all, further deepening their disadvantages in the sector.

The Chief Executive Officer of the Nigeria Agricultural Insurance Corporation (NAIC), Folashade Joseph, has emphasized the need to dismantle these barriers to ensure food security and economic resilience.

“Despite their invaluable contributions, women and youth face numerous obstacles such as restricted access to finance, land, technology, and markets,” Joseph said during a recent summit organized by the Nigerian Women Agricultural Progressives and Development Initiative (NWAPDI) in Abuja.

“These barriers must be broken if we are to unlock the full potential of our agricultural sector. The government of President Bola Tinubu recognizes the power of inclusive economic growth, with agriculture at the centre.”

Joseph further encouraged women farmers to take advantage of NAIC’s agricultural insurance policies to safeguard their investments against natural disasters and unforeseen losses.

“We do not want a situation where, due to natural disasters, agricultural ventures collapse. While we cannot prevent climate change-driven disasters, we can ensure that farmers receive timely compensation for their losses and can return to farming without prolonged setbacks. This support covers the entire agricultural value chain,” she explained.

In response to these challenges, NWAPDI’s National Coordinator, Omolara Svensson, announced the launch of FarmAssure, an innovative technology platform designed to revolutionize agricultural operations in Nigeria, particularly for women.

Svensson described FarmAssure as a comprehensive enterprise resource planning (ERP) system tailored for the agricultural sector. The initiative integrates cutting-edge technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), blockchain, the Internet of Things (IoT), and Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to optimize resource management, enhance supply chain efficiency, and improve transparency for farmers, agribusinesses, exporters, and policymakers.

“We cannot remain stagnant and expect change. As the world evolves, we must evolve alongside it. Our goal is to ensure grassroots farmers are part of this transformation,” she said.

For Nigeria to achieve sustainable agricultural growth and food security, these systemic barriers must be addressed. Women farmers, who form the backbone of the nation’s agricultural workforce, must be empowered with the resources, security, and financial support necessary to thrive. Breaking these barriers is not just about fairness—it is a national imperative for economic stability and resilience.