Women farmers in Ebonyi State have raised concerns over the negative effects of climate change on crops yield, describing it as a threat to achieving food security in Nigeria.
The women farmers lamented the sharp decline in the yields of rice, Maize, vegetables and legumes, among others, in Ebonyi and most other Southeastern states and attributed it to unpredictable weather leading to long dry spells and intense heat which destroyed crops.
The concern was the major focus at an Agriculture stakeholders Townhall held Friday in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State capital.
The Townhall was organised by Participatory Development Alternatives, a Civil Society Organisation supporting Women farmers in the state with funding from Actionaid Nigeria.
Ebonyi State Coordinator, Small Scale Women Farmers Organisation in Nigeria, SWOFON, Mrs Andrina Okwo, emphasized that apart from the issue of climate change, capacity of women farmers in the State are limited by certain traditions depriving them free access to land.
Okwo noted that timely and accurate weather forecasts have become critical for farmer’s survival, warning that women will continue to plant at the wrong time and lose harvests without proper guidance from the Nigeria Meteorological Agency, NiMet.
She emphasized: “This year, the sun destroyed most of our farm crops, especially rice and maize.
“The weather has become so harsh that we can no longer predict when to plant.
“We need proper guidance.
“The government must strengthen the Nigeria Meteorological Agency so they can give us accurate information.
“Without it, we will keep making mistakes.
“Also, Access to land remains one of our biggest obstacles.
“In many communities, women are culturally barred from owning land, leaving them dependent on male relatives or temporary arrangements that can collapse without warning.
“We need land where we can farm.
“We don’t just want to put food on the table; we want to contribute to economic growth, to export food someday.
“Those exporting food are not from heaven.
“They are people like us but we only need the opportunity.
The Coordinator expressed optimism that despite challenges, Nigeria can still achieve food sufficiency relying on the resilience of women farmers who make up a significant percentage of the agricultural manpower.
“We have up to 2,000 smallholder women farmers across the local governments.
“If empowered, we can prevent the famine people are predicting, as we can produce enough” Okwo submitted.
Programme Officer at Participatory Development Alternatives, Ugochi Joseph, explained that the meeting was organised under the Strategic Partnership for Agroecology and Climate Justice in West Africa (SPAC-West Africa) project implemented by her Organisation in Ebonyi state, with funding from Actionaid International Transformative Impact Fund.
According to her, the project has already enhanced the skills of over 27,000 Smallholder women farmers and youths across Nigeria.
Joseph aded: “One of the most impactful interventions has been the establishment of more than 200 model agroecological farms across different communities.
“These farms serve as demonstration sites where women learn climate-smart farming techniques, soil improvement practices, and natural methods of pest control.
“We also support women’s access to, and ownership of land, and we connect them to markets so they can earn more income.
“With better control over production, their livelihoods become more secure.
“The SPAC-WA project is currently in its third phase, and more women farmers are stepping down the training they received, teaching others in their communities.
“Extension workers continue to monitor and guide the adoption of new techniques, ensuring that the impact spreads beyond the project sites.”
Speaking earlier on the objectives of the Townhall, the resource person at the event, Lorieth Nwafor, said it was to build a strong voice around denial of women access to land, discuss challenges women face in land ownership and proffer solutions as well as push for more women access and control over land in various communities across the State.
In her presentation, Nwafor noted that according to an assessment carried out by PDA with support from Actionaid, many Smallholder women farmers still face major barriers in accessing, controlling and making decisions over land
The study according to her revealed that while women contribute significantly to food production, they often depend on their husbands or male relatives for access to land.
She observed that very few women have land titles or legal documents, and they are often largely excluded from community land governance and decision making processes.
Part of the recommendations at the Townhall included strengthening implementation of gender-sensitive land policies, advancing reforms and enforcing laws for equal land ownership and inheritance, as well as conducting awareness campaigns on land rights.
Stakeholders were encouraged to promote joint land registration between spouses, support women cooperatives to collectively access and manage land, as well as foster collaboration between government, traditional institutions and Civil society to strengthen women inheritance and ownership of land.
