Gombe govt restates commitment to support smallholder women farmers

By Najibullahi Adamu

The Gombe State government has restated commitment to supporting smallholder women farmers in the state towards boosting food security and ensuring increased income for smallholder farmers.

The Gombe State deputy governor, Dr Manassah Jatau gave the assurance in Gombe while commemorating the 2022 World Food Day Celebration on Wednesday.

The event was organised by the Gombe State chapter of Smallholder Women Farmers Organisation of Nigeria (SWOFON) in collaboration with the Gombe State Ministry of Agriculture and Animal Husbandry with support from Hope Foundation for the Lonely and Actionaid Nigeria.

Jatau who was represented at the event by Muhammad Magaji, the State’s commissioner of Agriculture and Animal Husbandry said the state government was doing a lot to assist farmers in the state.

He said that agriculture remained the sector that engaged the larger population of the state, hence the government had prioritised the sector to improve the wellbeing of farmers and boost food security.

“I assure you whatever support we can give, we will give you to ensure that we all have foods and the right foods for our nutritional needs,” he said.

“You know that the administration of Governor Inuwa Yahaya of Gombe State takes seriously issues of farmers.

“We will forward the documents containing your recommendations to our higher authority and I am sure you will be assisted to make farming easier for you.”

On the women farmers’ request for mechanised farming, Jatau said the state government would work towards mechanising agriculture 

 “lt will be a gradual thing, we cannot completely phase out traditional means of farming now,” he said.

The deputy governor commended women farmers in the state for their contributions to food security while urging them to double their efforts while embracing use of improved seedlings.

He reassured farmers in the state of the state government’s commitment to boosting the agriculture sector and supporting farmers saying ” that’s why we distributed 120 trucks of NPK15-15 fertilisers in 2022.”

Speaking earlier, Mrs Airudia Mamman, the Gombe State coordinator, SWOFON while presenting the recommendations of its members to the deputy governor said more supports for smallholder women farmers would translate to food availability in the state.

Mamman said there should be increased budgetary allocation to agriculture sector in 2023 and subsequent years’ agriculture budgets.

She also stated that agriculture budget in the state “should be gender sensitive and responsive by providing line items for the implementation of the National Gender Policy in Agriculture that addresses specific challenges affecting women farmers”

The SWOFON coordinator said as measures to reduce post-harvest losses amongst smallholder women farmers, small modular processing and storage facilities in communities based on different commodities should be provided.

Mamman commended the state government, Hope Foundation for the Lonely and Actionaid Nigeria for always supporting smallholder women farmers in the state.

Our correspondent reports that highlights of the event was display of various processed and unprocessed foods that were cultivated and harvested by SWOFON members in the state.

The theme of this year’s commemoration is “Leave No One Behind: Better Production, Better Nutrition, A Better Environment and A Better Life.”