Farmers, Women Leaders Demand Action for Food Security at World Food Day

News in Brief

-Lagos farmers and women leaders called for increased government support for food production, logistics and gender empowerment.​

-Stakeholders highlighted inflation, funding shortages and poor storage as challenges in the sector while praising interventions like new food hubs, cold storage facilities and targeted programmes for women.

On the auspices of the World Food Day celebration, Lagos farmers and women agriculture leaders made a rallying call for practical reforms to bolster Nigeria’s food production.

While praising Lagos State’s World Food Day celebration for bringing attention to farmers' efforts, President of the WAPA Women in Agriculture Cooperative, Bola Ogutuga, called for actionable government intervention beyond annual celebrations. She urged authorities to collaborate with local farming groups and institutions, supplying not just policy proposals but critical inputs like seedlings, tools and direct support to women farmers.

Women's Role in Food Systems

Ogutuga pointed out that women are at the heart of food production in Nigeria, from tilling the farm to cooking in the kitchen. “When you want to talk about good food, you talk about a woman. Our role is essential,” she said, highlighting their essential role from production to processing. “They should collaborate more with farmers and agricultural institutions like IITA and empower us with seedlings, tools, and other inputs. The government needs to improve agriculture practically, not just in policy documents.”  

Her message echoed the new strategic direction of the cooperative, which, according to officials, now provides targeted training, market opportunities and financial literacy programmes for female farmers in Lagos.​

Stakeholders React

Akin Alabi, an agricultural expert present at the event, described World Food Day as a celebration of resilience in Nigeria’s food system. 

“For me, this day is about celebrating the food system and the people behind it. From January to date, it has been sweat, sacrifice, and sheer resilience. This day is for them,” he said.

Alabi commended Lagos, the host city, for recognising its strength in aquaculture and explained that the sector, alongside crop farming, underpins the city’s ambitions for food sufficiency. 

He, however, underscored persistent issues of inflation, limited access to funding, and rising insecurity as critical barriers needing urgent redress if Nigeria is to make meaningful progress towards food security.​

Investments in Post-Harvest Handling

The president of the Perishable Goods Dealers and Sellers Association, Waidi Ogunleye, called for targeted investment in logistics, especially cold storage and better transport infrastructure. He stressed the costly impacts of spoilage and on-the-road harassment faced by traders.

“Sometimes our vehicles break down, and we’re harassed in towns along the way. Revenue collectors and touts make our jobs harder. We need cold storage facilities. We lose so much to spoilage. The government must provide storage and infrastructure, or else we keep wasting food while people go hungry,” he said

He maintained that food waste remains rampant while many Nigerians continue to go hungry, multiplying the need for government-led interventions.​