Women, agriculture and climate

My work in agriculture represents, by far, some of my most fulfilling moments because of the multifaceted nature of the sector and the sheer access into the human condition that the sector offers. It was one such moment of Ikigai (Japanese concept referring to something that fulfils one’s sense of passion and purpose) for me […]

My work in agriculture represents, by far, some of my most fulfilling moments because of the multifaceted nature of the sector and the sheer access into the human condition that the sector offers. It was one such moment of Ikigai (Japanese concept referring to something that fulfils one’s sense of passion and purpose) for me last week when I was invited to moderate a panel at the 4th Women Enterprise Alliance (WenA) conference in Abuja. WenA is a Non-profit organisation with a mission to produce world-class and diverse entrepreneurs who meet the needs of an ever-changing marketplace in Nigeria and across Africa. In collaboration with its partners, The NGO designs programmes to advocate for women in line with the UN 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SGDs).

The conference theme was ‘Rethinking Paradigm Shift in Agriculture and Initiatives to Enhance Food Security’ and it was headlined by the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr. Mohammad Mahmood Abubakar, who spoke on Agri-Business in Developing and Emerging Economies as well as answered a variety of questions from the packed Ladi Kwali hall of the Sheraton in Abuja.

This was exciting for me because the conference as a whole was conceptualised to explore innovative solutions that address challenges SMEs face across the agricultural value chain, a subject which I had genuine interest in. Led by  Aisha Babangida, who is the founder of the organisation, the objectives were to foster sustainable growth and development in the agricultural sector through innovation and technology, to identify investment opportunities for the expansion and growth of agribusinesses,  develop the agribusiness value chain and to create an enabling environment for access to market for entrepreneurs.

I have known Aisha for many years and have enormous respect for not only her passion about entrepreneurship and finance but her advocacy for female empowerment by working to increase women’s rights and providing them with resources that can help transform their lives.  So despite a difficult week of travelling and work, I was delighted to attend the conference hoping to contribute to WeNA’s incredibly purposeful work.

The panel I was moderating was to discuss a different but no less important topic; ‘Sustainable Agriculture: Towards Food Security Amidst Pandemic and Climate Change’ and it had a remarkable line –up of panelists consisting of Mrs Monica Maigari, an OXFAM Food Hero and Community Leader, Engr Suleiman Hussein Adamu, the Minister of Water Resources, Dr. Andrew Kwasari, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Agriculture and Ms Beatrice Eyong, the Country Representative of UN Women who was represented by her deputy, Lansana Wonneh.

Agriculture is vital to the Nigerian economy, employing about 70 per cent of the population and contributing about 22 per cent to the GDP. Many researchers argue that agricultural labour is mostly provided by women (60-80%) using simple hand tools, and women are heavily engaged in processing and marketing (a fact that was corroborated by Mrs. Monica Maigari on our panel in a very moving story of her life and work in agriculture).

Despite the essential role women play, a comprehensive understanding of the contribution of women farmers to food security and the economy is lacking. Policy making, planning, extension services, and market development are built on a partial view of reality that underserves smallholder women farmers and under-utilizes their capacities to contribute to the country’s economic and social development. Furthermore, women often face constraints on mobility, which is a key constraint to voicing their needs in public and economic sectors as well as to their ability to seize opportunities and emphasises the need for information to be better disseminated. These limitations prevent women farmers from fully accessing economic opportunity and taking a central role in their own development.

One of the major observations is that Nigerian agribusinesses are unaware of the large production potential of smallholder farmers and especially women farmers. Another observation was that women farmers lacked market information and had to sell their produce at farm gate against deflated prices or unable to sell their produce at all. Also the public sector has, to a large extent, neglected market linkages and prefer to target farmer productivity by way of handing out inputs and indirect (mostly ineffective) agricultural extension support.

In the last five years, I have worked with British charity OXFAM in Nigeria to build technologies around women in agriculture and train them to collect information such as farm size, access to market and preferences around input and output markets, the performance of the agriculture extension system and other government interventions. The goal was, when aggregated, this information will provide visibility to women farmers and evidence on how effectively public policies and markets are proving to serve the needs of women as food producers and consumers. The platform was to also serve to link women farmers with input providers, other women farmers, and buyers. As such, the information will not only be used by women themselves but also by their supporting associations, business networks, civil society organisations and donors in order to access better support and market opportunities.

During this WeNA conference, I had a remarkable conversation with the panelists bordering technologies for improved productivity, climate smart agriculture, resource efficiency, agricultural and development policy as well as inclusivity and women empowerment in the agricultural sector. The voice of Mrs. Maigari, a local woman from Madakiya in Zango-Kataf, Kaduna State, was clear in the room as her story illustrated not only the resilience of Nigerian women in agriculture but their capacity to excel and sustain themselves and their community within the right conditions.

My other panelists were just as insightful Mr Lansana harped on the UN’s stance on inclusive development in agricultural and other sectors and Dr. Kwasari eloquently laid out the path to sustainable implementation of agricultural technology and innovation policy in the midst of an economic and climate emergency. The Minister of Water Resources too offered educative perspectives around water and other resources efficiency in the Nigerian agricultural sector reiterating the absolute need for sustainable, climate smart solutions in a fast changing world.