Nigerian Gender Committee Convenes To Advance Gender Equality In Agriculture

News in Brief: - A Nigerian gender committee has called for stronger implementation of the National Gender Policy in Agriculture, aiming to address food insecurity, data gaps, and gender-based violence through collaboration and investment in women farmers. - Recommendations include state-level adoption, a costed action plan, and dedicated funding for gender committees. The National Gender Steering Committee for the Implementation of the National Gender Policy in Agriculture (NGSC-NGPA) convened a national forum last week to accelerate and optimise the policy's implementation. The forum was supported by the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security (FMAFS) and partner organizations. It brought together nearly 250 participants, including parliamentarians, ministers, state commissioners, and representatives from various stakeholders, a report says. With the goal of improving food and nutrition security through enhanced gender equality, the forum served as a platform for dialogue and collaboration. This was aimed at improving food and nutrition security through enhanced gender equality. Participants commended the efforts of the NGSC-NGPA and collaborating organizations in fostering collaboration crucial for nationwide policy implementation. Furthermore, discussions highlighted critical challenges hindering gender mainstreaming in agriculture. These include food security, lack of comprehensive data on women and marginalised groups, and gender-based violence.

Recommendations by the gender steering committee

Urgent recommendations emerged, focusing on:

• Advocating for domestication of the National Gender Policy in agriculture at the state level
• Developing a multi-sectoral costed action plan
• Collaborating with stakeholders to implement policy objectives
• Creating a national database for smallholder farmers
• Investing in cottage processing and storage facilities to reduce post-harvest losses.

The forum also addressed security challenges faced by farmers, particularly women and small-scale farmers, calling for dedicated budget lines to support the National and State Gender Steering Committees. These steps underscore the commitment to fostering inclusive growth and empowering women and marginalised groups in Nigerian agriculture.