ABUJA, Nigeria (VOICE OF NAIJA)-The Deputy Chairman of the All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN), Lagos State Chapter, Mr Shakin Agbayewa, has said that women constitute about 80 per cent of subsistence farmers in Nigeria.
Agbayewa made this known in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday in Lagos while discussing the composition of the country’s farming population.
He described women as the backbone of smallholder agriculture, particularly in food crop production, processing, and marketing.
Despite their significant role in national food supply, he noted that many female farmers continue to face challenges such as limited access to farmland, credit facilities, improved seedlings, and mechanised equipment.
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“In that 100 per cent of farmers who do not have mechanisation, about 80 per cent are women,” he said.
Agbayewa explained that empowering women farmers would directly improve food availability, enhance family welfare, and drive rural development.
He added that women are actively involved in cassava processing, vegetable cultivation, poultry farming, grain trading, and other agricultural value chains nationwide.
He urged government agencies, financial institutions, and development partners to create programmes specifically tailored to support female farmers.
According to him, providing access to low-interest loans, cooperative structures, irrigation facilities, and training would enable women to scale beyond subsistence farming.
He also emphasised the need to shield women farmers from exploitation by middlemen and challenges related to land ownership.
Agbayewa stated that Nigeria could achieve faster agricultural growth if women farmers receive adequate support to transition into commercial production.
He added that recognising and empowering women in agriculture should remain a key national priority.
(NAN)