Women farmers in Ebonyi State are taking the lead in promoting food sufficiency and sustainable agriculture through the support of ActionAid Nigeria and its local partner, the Participatory Development Alternatives (PDA).
At a one-day interactive forum with Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) held in Abakaliki to mark the 2025 Post–World Food Day, participants reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening collaboration for a more inclusive and food-secure future.
The event, themed “Hand in Hand for Better Food and a Better Future,” was organised by PDA in partnership with ActionAid Nigeria and the Small-Scale Women Farmers Organization of Nigeria (SWOFON), Ebonyi State chapter.
Ugochi Joseph PDA Programme Officer, emphasised the need to build on existing collaborations to ensure sustainable food production in the State.
The conversation is not just about growing food but sustaining the systems that support women who grow it,” she said. “We must foster the existing collaboration to ensure food sustainability in Ebonyi State.”
Egba Virginia representing the Commissioner for Agriculture, commended the organisers for their continued investment in women farmers, noting that the State Government is working to enhance access to land, inputs, and credit facilities.
Similarly, Chineyere Ituma of the Ministry of Budget and Planning applauded PDA and ActionAid for championing women’s inclusion in agriculture, stressing that improved funding is critical to achieving food sufficiency.
According to her, the State’s agricultural budget has steadily increased signaling government’s growing commitment to empowering women farmers and promoting bumper harvests.
Okinya Matthias, the State Coordinator of the Budget Committee Group (BCG), described the forum as timely, saying it aligns with the group’s drive for transparent, people-centered budgeting.
Strengthening collaboration between smallholder women farmers and government institutions is key to building an inclusive and sustainable agricultural system in Ebonyi,” he said. “We salute the resilience and innovation of women farmers whose efforts nourish our homes and strengthen the economy.”
In its Charter of Demands, SWOFON called on the Ebonyi State government to prioritise agricultural funding in line with the Malabo Declaration, ensure gender-responsive budgeting, and improve access to credit, extension services, and farm inputs. The group also advocated massive investment in rural infrastructure such as feeder roads, storage, and processing facilities to reduce post-harvest losses.
Andrina Okwor, SWOFON Coordinator and Secretary, Ifeoma Chukwu, urged Government and development partners to recognise agroecology as a sustainable model for rural development and food sovereignty.
They emphasised that empowering smallholder women farmers is not only key to achieving food sufficiency but also vital for economic growth, gender equality, and community resilience in Ebonyi State.
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