Ondo Women Farmers Lament Insecurity, Fuel Scarcity

Fidelis David in Akure

The Small-scale Women Farmers Organisation in Nigeria (SWOFON), Ondo State Chapter, yesterday expressed worry over the continuous rise in the prices of premium motor spirit (PMS), popularly known as petrol, in the state that is having a huge toll on their source of living.

The farmers also called on the State governor, Mr. Oluwarotimi Akeredolu (SAN), to find lasting solution to the farmers-herders’ crises in the state in order to end destruction of farmlands by cattle.

The organisation also asked the state government to consider payment of compensation to victims as a means of support.

The State Coordinator of SWOFON, Mrs. Grace Oyediji, stated this at a press conference in Akure, the state capital with the theme: “Gender Equality Today for Sustainable Tomorrow,” organised by Life and Peace Development Organisation (LPDO).

Oyediji, who spoke against the backdrop of the 2022 International Women’s Day Campaign, with the theme “Break the Bias,” advocated for a policy environment in the state that support gender-responsiveness and focused on empowering the needs of the smallholder women farmers in the 18 local government areas in Ondo State.

She said: “The challenges facing women farmers in Ondo State are enormous, including lack of finance, absence of farm equipment and as well agriculture input which are as a result of detached attitude of the government to the plight of women farmers and lack of financial support for them.

“What has become the order of the day is that the enabling environment is not there for smallholder women farmers to survive. Since there are no tractors or equipment to work with, we have to traveled out of the state to rent such. The same is applicable to chemicals and other agro inputs needed to facilitate agricultural product.”

She specifically said that cattle menace and general insecurity have remained threats to the survival of women farmers within the state.

“We have cases whereby we sourced loans to farm only for cows to ravage the farms. Such is devastating and tragic. Worse still, there are no forms of compensation to such victims since they are not aware of the state policy, which facilitates women-friendly environment and security. We need gender friendly machines.

“To redress the trend and break the barrier and the bias in line with this year’s woman’s day campaign, we are calling on local government authority (LGA) to, among other things, create awareness of policy environment in the agricultural sector that will support the needs of smallholder women farmers including those living with disabilities in the LGAs in Ondo State.

“It is also imperative for local government authorities to enhance and empower smallholder women farmers in the 18 LGAs to add values to their produce. We want agro women initiative domiciled across the 18 local government areas of the state and we want farmers in rural areas to benefit from it,” she said.

The SWOFON coordinator also called on stakeholders at all levels to ensure inclusive participation of small holder women farmers as business membership organisation for inclusion into the organised private sector.

Reacting, the Executive Director of Life and Peace Development Organisation/Inclusive Agricultural Cluster, Mr. Franklin Olomiju, said his organisation has discovered a lacuna and lack of women-friendly environment in the agricultural sector in the 18 local government areas in the state.