KEY POINTS
- Insecurity in Nigeria’s North-East threatens food production and security.
- Women farmers now require escorts to safely access their farms.
- Experts call for stronger security measures to protect agricultural activities.
Insecurity is increasingly threatening the livelihoods of female farmers in Nigeria’s North-East, putting the region’s food security at serious risk.
According to Dr. Johnson Dudu, Director of Research at the Centre for Population and Environmental Development (CPED), many women farmers now require escorts to safely access their farms.
Dudu shared his concerns on Thursday during an empowerment program aimed at supporting women in pastoralism and agriculture across Nigeria’s Sahel region.
The event was organized in collaboration with Cowater International, the International Development Research Centre, and the Supporting Pastoralism and Agriculture in Recurrent and Protracted Crises program, funded by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office.
“Women need security, especially when accessing their farms. Many women cannot go to their farms without security, putting food production at risk,” Dudu said.
The current security crisis denies agricultural land access to women farmers while endangering the stability of food production throughout the affected area.
Call for improved security framework to support agriculture
Dudu emphasized the urgent need for a stronger security framework to protect farmers and promote sustainable agriculture.
According to Punch, he specifically highlighted the necessity of increased security efforts in Gombe, Bauchi, and other parts of the North-East to ensure food sufficiency.
“There should be measures to strengthen the security network in states like Gombe, Bauchi, and the North-East as a whole, and of course, the entire country,” Dudu stated.
He stressed that CPED is committed to evidence-based development and works closely with policymakers to implement sustainable initiatives that empower communities.
“That is why we work closely with policymakers to achieve meaningful progress. Our goal is to ensure sustainable development, which we pursue by empowering community members, particularly women, through initiatives like the Supporting Pastoralism and Agriculture in Recurrent and Protracted Crises program,” Dudu explained.
Collaboration and solutions for sustaining food security
Also speaking at the event, Professor Muhammad Bibi highlighted the workshop’s aim to identify agricultural challenges and develop effective solutions.
“The essence of this initiative is to study the problems, provide solutions, and effectively communicate the outcomes,” Bibi said.
The initiative works to understand the barriers that confront women farmers and pastoralists in addition to assessing their challenges for holding secure land and production spaces.
The program supplies women with essential capabilities and instructional resources to develop resistance alongside food safety in fragile social groups.
With the increasing threats faced by women in agriculture, stakeholders are calling for greater investment in security and sustainable agricultural practices.
They stake their belief in these measures to achieve enduring food security and economic stability in both the North-East and beyond.
As the region battles insecurity, these programs play a vital role in equipping women with resources and support to overcome challenges and contribute to the nation’s agricultural growth.
