ActionAid, the Small-Scale Women Farmers Organisation in Nigeria (SWOFON), and other stakeholders have urged state governments and community leaders to prioritise women’s rights to land and their participation in agriculture.
According to them, such measures would maximise agricultural production and ensure food security across the country.
The stakeholders made this call at a meeting organised by SWOFON in collaboration with ActionAid Nigeria (AAN) on Wednesday in Abuja.
Specifically speaking, ActionAid country director, Andrew Mamedu, identified women’s rights to land and resources as fundamental, adding that without such access, all efforts towards food security and sustainable income would be in vain.
Mr Mamedu, who was represented by Nkechi Ilochi-Kanny, Director for Business Development and Innovation at AAN, stressed the importance of women owning and having control over land to enable them to cultivate their desired crops effectively.
He emphasised the need for women to have access to resources that would enable them to purchase land and become economically independent rather than relying on others for land.
According to him, “If there is a challenge of inadequate land at the community level, women should be allowed to form cooperatives to gain access to agricultural land.
“Traditional leaders, who are the custodians of community land, should begin to rethink land allocation in terms of women’s access at the community level.
“So, if the land is given to them, they will be able to own it and cultivate any kind of crops they intend on those lands.
“We advocate to governments to allow women easy access to land, and they should relax conditions that restrict this particular group from such access.
“By prioritising women’s land rights and participation in agroecology, we can unlock their full potential as agents of change in sustainable agriculture and contribute to achieving broader development goals related to food security, poverty alleviation, and environmental conservation.”
Chris Kaka, a consultant for SWOFON, identified conflict within the institutional framework as one of the key challenges affecting women’s access to land.
According to him, “Based on Sections 43 and 44 of the Nigerian Constitution, there is no discrimination regarding sex in terms of access to land, likewise the Land Use Act.”
He noted that customary law states that the right to own land rests with men, while women can only gain access through marriage.
“Women owning land helps determine the kind of crops they grow, such as economic crops, among others. So, it is important for women to own land and for the government to provide land at a subsidised rate for women.
“Sustainable Development Goals are also tied to women’s access to land.
“Research has consistently shown that when women have secure rights to land, agricultural productivity and household food security improve, leading to broader economic and social development outcomes.
“Moreover, women tend to prioritise sustainable land management practices, contributing to the long-term resilience of agricultural systems and environmental sustainability,” Mr Kaka explained.