Small Scale Women Farmers Organisation in Nigeria, SWOFON, has requested for the inclusion of organic and inorganic fertilisers as well as herbicides and pesticides in the agriculture budget for 2020.
The women farmers also requested for gender-friendly agricultural mechanisation, quality production, processing and packaging of equipment with quality spare parts.
These were parts of the inputs made by SWOFON at a stakeholders’ consultative meeting on the 2020 Agriculture Budget on Wednesday in Lokoja.
Hannatu Soni, the National Treasurer of the organisation, who made the presentation, said women farmers also needed improved seeds, seedlings and improved breed of livestock.
SWOFON said for the budget line to be strengthened and for mobilisation on access to credit, there was a need for effective information dissemination and concession for women in loan granting.
On extension support services, the association called for recruitment of more female extension workers and their training on maintenance of machines and equipment.
Some of the requests also included the provision of energy-saving stoves, tree seedlings, capacity building on composing manure and moulding as well as on-farm research and demonstration.
“If possible, we want to take part in the research and see the results first hand,’’ Ms Soni said, adding that training on the complete value chain development and women empowerment for off-taking.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the consultative meeting was aimed at facilitating conversations among key stakeholders connecting the continental framework, the CAADP targets and the ECOWAS Agricultural Policy, ECOWAP.
NAN also reports that the two-day meeting was organised by ActionAid Nigeria, Oxfam in Nigeria, ECOWAS Commission, CAADP Non-state Actors Coalition, CNC, and the Federal Ministry of Budget and Planning.
NAN
