Food Security: SWOFON Advocates Single Digit Interest Rate for Small-holder Farmers

By Friday Idachaba, Lokoja.

WOMEN Farmers Organization in Nigeria (SWOFON), Kogi State Chapter, has called on government to provide single digit interest rates to small-holder women farmers to address issues of inadequate budgetary allocations and credits facilities.

The women farmers made the call in Lokoja at a meeting on “Dissemination of Scorecard On Smallholder Women Farmers’ Access To Agricultural Credit Facility In Kogi State between 2020 and 2023.

The programme was organised by SWOFON in partnership with Kogi State Budget Committee Group (BCG) with support from ActionAid Nigeria.

Presenting the scorecard, Mr Mathias Okpanachi, Chairman of the BCG decried the consistent meagre budgetary allocations and non-release of such allocated funds to women farmers by government.

Okpanachi who identified lack of information on government Agricultural Credit Schemes also called on relevant authorities to provide adequate information that would avail Smallholder farmers access to credit schemes.

The BCG Chairman therefore implored government to ensure the release of the N700 million budgeted for Small-holder women farmers and youths in the 2024 Kogi State Agriculture Sector Budget.

He also urged government to summon adequate political will to support women farmers and involve them in the design, plans and implementation of Agriculture credit schemes.

In her remarks, Hajia Rukayat Larai Ahmed, Kogi State Coordinator of SWOFON, urged government to provide agricultural credit and inputs to Small-holder women farmers in the state on time.

She particularly urged the state Ministry of Agriculture to work in synergy with SWOFON to enable them reach small-holder women farmers in rural communities across the state.

She lamented the illegal activities and extortion of the women farmers by government revenue agents, market associations and commodity or produce task forces collecting illegal fees saying that their activities were aggravating the food inflation.

Mr Timothy Ojomah, the State Commissioner for Agriculture, in his remarks, assured the women farmers and youths of the state Government’s resolve to accord them the desired support to improve food production and security in the state.

Represented by Mr Oseni Mudasiru, Director, Administration in the Ministry, the Commissioner said that Gov. Usman Ododo had demonstrated adequate commitment to the Agriculture sector as he often declare that he is a farmer and son of a farmer.

Mr Abraham Ahmed, Director, Planning, Research and Statistics (PRS) said there is hope for farmers as the government has reviewed upward, the state Agriculture budget from N7 billion to N14 billion.

In her remarks, the Commissioner for Women Affairs, Hajiya Fatima Momoh, said Governor Ododo’s administration had a special package for women farmers in the state which would soon be unveiled.

The Commissioner, who was represented by Mrs Josephine Motunrayo Babatunde, Director, Women, commended the women farmers for their resilience in ensuring that the residents of Kogi and other citizens of Nigeria did not go hungry.

Dr Bello Ogirima, Managing Director of Kogi State Agricultural Development Project (ADP) commended women farmers for their interest in agriculture and food production which he observed, had surpassed men.

He said that the government is working tirelessly to redouble food production adding that the state is currently working on 7,000 hectare of land to be distributed to 7,000 farmers on a hectare per farmer and providing inputs and other logistics with promise to off-take produce after harvest.

Mr Alfa Yusuf Baba, Head, Internal Control, Bank of Agriculture (BOA), Lokoja Office, said that the bank was determined to support SWOFON in its quest and collective efforts to boost food production and security in Kogi.

“At the Bank Of Agriculture (BOA), we are out to see that farmers in Nigeria get the necessary support to improve their food production and help boost the growth and development of the country”, he said. (Ends)