NationalUpdate Woman
Women farmers advocate for agric budget implementation, policy review
By Friday Idachaba
Small Scale Women Farmers Organisation of Nigeria (SWOFON), Kogi chapter has called for review of existing Agriculture sector policies to give way for emergence of a coherent policy framework with emphasis on budget formulation and implementation.
Kogi Coordinator of SWOFON Hajia Safiya Yahaya, made the call at a Press conference organised by Budget Committee Group (BCG), supported by ActionAid Nigeria on Wednesday in Lokoja.
The Coordinator said it was imperative that the Ministry of Agriculture reviewed existing policies on agriculture and come up with an all-inclusive policy framework that would incorporate the change agenda with emphasis on budget implementation.
She reiterated the age-long agitation and call for Increased funding to the sector to enable it meet the 10 per cent Maputo declaration and subsequent Malabo commitment to which Nigeria remained a signatory.
Yahaya also called on government at all levels to make budgetary provisions for Climate Change in their annual budgets to enhance food and agricultural production.
According to her, Climate Resilient Sustainable Agriculture (CRSA)/Agroecology and inclusion of Issues of climate change in Governments’ annual budgets were key to sustainable development in Nigeria.
She described as “Very unfortunate and wrongly too”, a situation whereby
no mention of issues around climate change is made or provided for in budgets in spite of the strong impact of clinate change on agricultural production.
According to her, Smallholder women farmers have access to less than 23 per cent access to formal credit, therefore, Kogi State Ministry of Agriculture should create a yearly Strengthening Access to Credit budget line.
Addressing the conference earlier, Mrs Faith Mataga called on Kogi government to be committed to the Agricultural Insurance Scheme especially for smallholder women farmers.
Mataga said this would serve as protection against natural and man-made disasters such as destruction of farms by cattle, flood, pests and other natural disasters and as well, enable Kogi farmers access the services.
“There is need for improved farmers data collection and collation, which provides an evidence-based rationale for planning and services provision.
Also speaking, Chairman of the Budget Committee Group (BCG) Mr Matthias Okpanachi, reiterated the need for increased Budgetary allocation well as release of appropriated funds to Agriculture sector.
Okpanachi said that the sector had over the years gotten haphazard percentage increases like 6.8; 4.2; 4.9 and 6.3 which remained a far cry from the Maputo and Malabo Declarations of 10 per cent.
Okpanachi held that releasing the appropriated funds had often posed a challenge adding that in 2016, only 25 per cent of the allocated fund was released while in 2020, only 18 per cent was released to the sector.
The Jigawa state Civil Society Scaling-up Nutrition in Nigeria (CS-SUNN) has urged the state government to domesticate the federal law extending maternity leave from three to six months.
Chairman of the group Comrade Shuaibu Musa Kafingana made the appeal at a policy dialogue on paid maternity leave extension.
He cited the World Health Organization (WHO) and United Nations Children’s Education Fund (UNICEF) recommendations.
“Exclusive breastfeeding for six months is crucial for a child’s health,” Kafingana emphasized.
The extended leave according to him is aimed at Supporting work-life balance and job security for nursing mothers adsibg that it will allow mothers to practice exclusive breastfeeding for six months.
Explaining further he said it will provide adequate time for physical and emotional recovery after childbirth
The group’s advocacy is seeking to prioritize the health and well-being of nursing mothers and their children in Jigawa State.
By Friday Idachaba
VOWE Foundation, a non-profit organization committed to advancing the education and empowerment of women and girls in Nigeria has unveiled 20 winners of the 2nd edition of the Sophie Uzodimma Onovo Women Undergraduate Scholarship.
In a statement released on Monday in Abuja, the Foundation revealed that the 20 exceptional female final-year students who scaled the hurdle to clinch the award are to enjoy provision of full tuition and other educational expenses for their final year of study.
The statement said that the awardees were selected from educational tertiary institutions in Enugu and Imo states.
It said that the 2024 prestigious scholarship award marked a significant step in the Foundation’s resolve to foster educational opportunities and empower the next generation of women leaders.
The scholarship, which is being generously funded by the founder of VOWE Foundation, Mrs Sophie Uzodimma Onovo, is designed to support female students education in tertiary institutions.
The award is to alleviate financial barriers confronting the students and empower them to pursue their academic goals through provision of full tuition and other educational expenses for the final year of study.
Speaking on the importance of the scholarship, Mrs Sophie Uzodimma Onovo stated, “Education is the cornerstone of personal and societal growth” adding that it also enables the recipients to focus on their studies without financial worries.
“It marks a significant step in our commitment to fostering educational opportunities and empowering the next generation of women leaders.
“By investing in the education of these young women, we are not only helping them achieve their dreams but also contributing to the future of our communities”, she said.
Onovo who is also founder of the VOWE Foundation said the non-profit making body is committed to supporting women, “especially those in underserved communities, to reach their full
potential.”
She said that the selection process for this year’s scholarship was highly competitive, with numerous applications from talented and dedicated female students.
Mrs Onovo held that the 20 chosen beneficiaries demonstrated exceptional academic performance, leadership potentials, and a strong commitment to community service.
Among the 20 awardees, University of Nigeria Nsukka (UNN) has 7; Federal University of Technology, Owerri (FUTO), 4; Imo State University (IMSU), 3 and Enugu State University of Science and Technology (ESUT), 2.
Others are Institute of Management and Technology, Enugu (IMT), 1; Federal Polytechnic, Nekede, 2 and Federal Polytechnic Owerri, 1. (Ends)
-
Crime11 months agoPolice nabs Killer of Varsity Lecturer in Niger
-
News8 months agoFCT-IRS tells socialite Aisha Achimugu not to forget to file her annual returns
-
Appointment1 year agoTinubu names El-Rufai, Tope Fasua, others in New appointments
-
News From Kogi10 months agoINEC cancells election in 67 polling units in Ogori-Magongo in Kogi
-
News From Kogi1 year agoEchocho Challenges Tribunal Judgment ordering rerun in 94 polling units
-
News12 months agoIPOB: Simon Ekpa gives reason for seperatists clamour for Biafra
-
Metro6 months ago‘Listing Simon Ekpa among wanted persons by Nigeria military is rascality, intimidation’
-
News8 months agoKingmakers of Igu/ Koton-Karfe dare Bello, urge him to reverse deposition of Ohimege-Igu