We can feed the nation, female farmers boast

Female farmers who are into mass production of food and cash crops said if granted the much needed assistance, they can produce food capable of feeding the nation in addition to cash crops that can increase the earnings of several states through the exportation of cash crops, a major farmer in Funtua, Katsina state, Hajiya […]

Female farmers who are into mass production of food and cash crops said if granted the much needed assistance, they can produce food capable of feeding the nation in addition to cash crops that can increase the earnings of several states through the exportation of cash crops, a major farmer in Funtua, Katsina state, Hajiya Talatu Magami has said.

Hajiya Talatu, who is a major cotton farmer, said she was into the farming of Beni-seeds and ginger, but because her hope of getting the products exported to Saudi Arabia and other Arab countries that use such products as staple food could not materialize, she had to switch over to cotton.

“My husband was an Immigration officer. He died in a motor accident in 1989 when he was coming home from Port Harcourt where he was working. Before his death, he always talked about exporting Beni-seeds, ginger and pure honey which he said were in high demand in Saudi Arabia and other Middle East countries. He died and left three large farms for me and our three children.

“I started farming Beni-seeds and ginger hoping to get them exported, but could not realize my dream because of the difficulty in getting import license to Saudi. Getting export license from Nigeria was not as difficult. Another problem was the lack of cargo planes from Nigeria to Saudi especially after the annual pilgrimage. I have for long realized that there is very little gain in producing food crops. So, I always go for cash crops.

“When I could not get means of exporting my ginger and Beni-seeds, I started cotton farming. The story was not different. Because of the failure or collapse of most ginneries and textile industries in the country, there was no much patronage. But I assure you, if there is much understanding between farmers and governments at all levels, we shall record serious achievements in agriculture,” she said.

Hajiya Talatu said government is always willing to assist farmers but officials are always in a hurry to generalize farmers’ needs and their problems. She was very optimistic that if government will set up a functional export promotion board whose major duty should be to link farmers of cash crops with foreign buyers.

Janet Gyang is a female farmer of Irish potatoes in Mangu, Plateau State. She said she has been in it since her primary school years 14 years ago, adding, “most of the women in the state are into farming. Majority of us are into Irish potato  farming, because that is what is commonly produced in the state. We do not only produce it, but majority of us also sell it direct to the consumers. We do not get any form of assistance from banks and other cooperative societies.

“If government can give us soft loans as they are giving to our male counterparts, we shall definitely do better, but government is discriminating against us. They think when you mention farmers, it must be men. Some of us are even more dedicated to farming than the men. What we are lacking is support. If government and the relevant financial houses can avoid that discrimination and treat us the same way they treat male farmers, we shall do even better.

“When you apply for agric loan, they do not want to go and see your farm and what you are capable of doing. Instead, they will ask you to go and bring your husband to come and stand for you. I don’t know why it must be so. When a man wants to collect agric loan they will never ask him to go and bring his wife to stand for him. That system should stop immediately,” she said.

Director of Press to the Minister of Agriculture, Alhaji Salisu Na’inna Dambatta said as part of Federal Government’s transformation agenda for the agricultural sector, the minister has resolved to establish a section that will deal specifically with women farmers in the country.

“The Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has taken its commitment to empower and mainstream women and youth to the centre-stage of Nigerian agricultural sector a step further by working with the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation to create a Division to take care of the interests of women farmers.

“The Division will ensure that women and youth farmers, who are genuinely interested in taking agriculture as an economic activity, are given close attention by the Ministry.  It will also pave way for them to gain access to and benefit from the many incentives the Federal Government is delivering to them through a special scheme.

“The Division will as well address a recent appeal and similar ones in the future, by the leader of women farmers in Kano State, Hajiya Fatima Kiru, for the introduction of a special agricultural loan scheme for female farmers in the country.  While making the appeal, she announced that over 1, 000 women farmers registered in the state under the All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN) would be trained in modern agricultural practices to boost their productivity,” a statement by Danbatta read in part.

The statement added that women and youths have critical roles to play in actualizing the main goals of ATA: taking agriculture away from its current subsistence orientation and putting it into a business mode; increasing annual food production by a minimum of 20 million metric tons, eliminating food importation, developing the value chains of dozens of crops and reviving many agro-allied industries by growing their raw materials locally.

He said women can contribute in diversifying the economic base of the country by producing and exporting commodities in addition to Cocoa, Cassava derivatives and sesame in large quantities.

“The move to mainstream women and youth and harness their productive capacity in agriculture is appropriate: demographics resulting from the 2006 National Population and Housing Census indicate that women and youths constitute over 60 per cent of the population,” the statement read in part.

He said other opportunities for women and youths in agriculture are in catering, the processing of soybeans into several products such as soya milk, and milling it for its excellent oil, which is recognized world-wide as a health booster. Investing in irrigation farming in any of the irrigation facilities across the country is another opportunity.

The statement said fish and rabbit farming are as lucrative and money spinning as growing sugarcane or using high-quality cassava flour for the production of confectionaries, adding that many women and youths have taken to these aspects of agribusinesses through which they contribute to the nutrition intakes of their fellow citizens, growing the economy, and at the individual level, laughing to the bank.