The Small-Scale Women Farmers Organisation in Nigeria has appealed to the federal government and the FCT Administration to take urgent steps to address insecurity affecting farmers.

The group said the move would guarantee safe access to farmlands and production zones, thereby improving agricultural output and livelihoods.

The call was made during the presentation of SWOFON’s ‘Charter of Demand of Smallholder Women Farmers in the FCT’ at a state-level interactive forum and World Food Day commemoration. It was organised by ActionAid in collaboration with SWOFON in Abuja.

Comfort Sunday, FCT coordinator of SWOFON, said improved security for farmers would enhance agricultural productivity, raise household income, and promote sustainable development.

She noted that empowering smallholder women farmers remained a pathway to food security and poverty reduction, as well as a key strategy for promoting gender equality.

Ms Sunday said women farmers play a crucial role in food production but continue to face barriers in accessing land, agricultural inputs, credit facilities, technology, markets, and extension services.

“These challenges limit productivity, reduce household income, and weaken national food security,” she said.

According to her, the charter represents the collective voice of smallholder women farmers in the FCT and calls for inclusive, gender-responsive agricultural policies that guarantee equitable access to resources.

She urged the government to scale up public investment in agriculture, ensure timely and transparent budgeting, and make financing more accessible to farmers.

Ms Sunday also called on FCT departments and area councils to fully implement the National Gender Policy in Agriculture while prioritising improved access to markets, infrastructure, and capacity building for extension services.

She further appealed for investment in gender-responsive post-harvest solutions such as processing centres, storage facilities, and market linkages to reduce waste and improve livelihoods.

SWOFON also urged the government to strengthen women’s land tenure systems by granting cooperatives access to fertile land and protecting them from commercial eviction and land grabbing.

The group called for the recruitment of more agricultural extension agents and the training of farmers in climate-resilient, sustainable agriculture to promote climate adaptation and innovation among smallholder farmers. 

It also advocated for upgrading rural roads, water systems, and affordable transport, such as tricycles, to ease the movement of produce to markets.

Ms Sunday said the charter would serve as a policy advocacy tool to influence government plans and budgets toward inclusive and gender-responsive agricultural development.

She expressed optimism that implementing the charter would improve the livelihood and productivity of women farmers, strengthen partnerships with the FCTA, and enhance food security.

(NAN)