Women farmers under the aegis of Nigeria Women for Agricultural Progressive and Development Initiative (NWAPDI) have again expressed frustration over their non-inclusion in the government intervention programme and pulled out from the All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN).
The National Coordinator and President of NWAPDI, Omolara Svensson during a press briefing in Abuja also lamented the poor inclusion of women in AFAN’s activities and the lingering leadership tussle in the farmers’ body
Svensson, flanked by Zonal Coordinators from different geo-political zones of the country, said “we have observed a persistent lack of meaningful inclusion and recognition of women within AFAN, undermining our core objectives and the progress we strive to achieve.”
“The poor inclusion of women in AFAN’s activities and the ongoing leadership tussles within the organisation, which I tried to address during my tenure as Head of Women in Agriculture for the Oyo State AFAN chapter.
“Despite numerous efforts to resolve these complicated issues, we have found it necessary to redirect our energy and resources to NWAP.
“Additionally, the continuous leadership disputes within AFAN have created an unstable and counter-productive environment. These internal conflicts have hampered effective collaboration and progress, making it increasingly challenging for NWAP to fulfill its mandate under such circumstances.
She further explained that her organisation was established as the first and foremost Nigerian organisation exclusively for women involved in the agricultural sector, spanning production, processing, trade, and commerce.
She added that NWAP is uniquely focused on empowering and supporting women in agriculture across Nigeria.
“Our mission is to ensure that women have a significant and influential role in shaping the agricultural landscape of our country. As of today, NWAP stands as the only registered and authorised women-only agricultural initiative in Nigeria.”
“This position underscores our commitment to creating a focused, inclusive and progressive platform for women in agriculture. By standing independently, we believe we can more effectively advocate for the interests of women farmers and drive meaningful change within the agricultural sector.”
Speaking on the achievements of the organisation since its inception few months ago, Svensson revealed that many rural women farmers have been empowered through the provision of farm inputs in some States.
She said: “In Lagos State, where aqua farming is prevalent, the organisation supplied women with vegetable seedlings, fish feed and chicken feed.
“Similar initiatives have been carried out in Kwarra State and plans are underway to reach out to Ekiti and Osun States soon.
“We have been active in empowering women farmers in Imo State and we are preparing to launch programmes in Kogi State.
“Another key initiative includes a safety training programme scheduled for tomorrow, in collaboration with other Associations.”
She pointed out that the proposed training was intended to address the financial losses women in agriculture face, due to inadequate safety measures on farms and in the processing plants.
On her future initiatives, she said: “Moving forward, NWAP will continue to work tirelessly to support and uplift women in agriculture through various programmes, initiatives, and advocacy efforts.
“We remain dedicated to our vision of a robust and inclusive agricultural sector where women play a leading and decisive role.”
The National Coordinator of NWAPDI also lauded the first lady of Nigeria, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, for her tireless efforts in empowering women farmers across the country in the nation’s quest to achieve food security.
