The Smallholder Women Farmers Organisation of Nigeria (SWOFON) has urged the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security (FMAFS) to develop pesticide policies and enforce legislation that prohibit hazardous agrochemicals.
SWOFON made this call in a communique issued at the end of a 3-day training and Smallholder Women Farmers Stakeholders Interactive Forum on Inclusive Food Systems in Nigeria on Friday in Abuja.
The communique was read by SWOFON President, Mrs Fatima Bello-Gumi.
Bello-Gumi said that the measure was a significant shift towards sustainable farm systems like agroecology.
According to her, government needs to develop a safe sustainable food strategy that reduces the use of highly toxic synthetic chemical pesticides by 50 per cent by 2030, 25 per cent by 2040 and a maximum of five per cent by 2050.
She said strong support should be given to farmers in their transition towards agroecology.
Bello-Gumi urged FMAF to mandate agrochemicals dealers in anchor-borrowers programmes to remove all Highly Hazardous Pesticides (HHPs) from their programmes.
She urged FMAFS, CBN, Nigeria Incentive-Based Risk Sharing System for Agricultural Lending (NIRSAL), Bank of Agriculture (BOA) and Bank of Industry (BOI) to encourage agrochemicals dealers to supply more organic inputs.
Bello-Gumi listed the inputs as biopesticides, organic fertilisers among others.
“FMAFS, CBN and NIRSAL need to educate all farmers groups, listed vendors, manufacturers and importers of agrochemicals on the appropriate use and the negative impact of HHPs on Nigeria’s public health, environment, and foreign revenue.
“FMAFS, CBN (NIRSAL), Bank of Agriculture (BOA) and Bank of Industry (BOI) should mandate agrochemical dealers in their anchor-borrower programmes to remove all HHPs from their programmes.’’
She appealed to FMAFS and state ministries of agriculture to increase budget allocation for organic inputs, bio-pesticides and agroecology..
The president said that the National Agricultural Technology and Innovation Policy (NATIP) had the potential to tackle challenges confronting the agriculture sector development and its contribution to sustainable economic development.
She, however, said the policy was being confronted with poor allocations and poor releases by the Federal Ministry of Finance and poor utilisation by the FMAFS.
“We call on federal and state Eexecutives, national and state houses of assembly to scale up public investment in agriculture and ensure timely consideration, passage, and timely budget releases and utilisation.
“This is a strategic approach to increase food production, reduce hunger and poverty and achieve the NATIP
“The National Agricultural Growth Scheme and Agro Pocket (NAGSAP) should be well funded and executed to address the inputs gaps experienced by smallholder farmers, especially women and youth,” she said.
Bello-Gumi frowned at the agricultural risk, rising insecurity in farms, farm raiding, cattle rustling and kidnapping, climate change and other natural disasters.
She described the challenges as discouragement to farmers to continue farm practices without risk covers.
The president, however, urged federal and state governments to promote early warning system and easy enrolment of agricultural insurance policies for smallholder farmers.
She said federal and state governments should increase funding and promote community security structures, including organised hunters and agro-rangers to protect farms and reduce threats to agricultural production as encapsulated in the NATIP.
According to her, the approach will create a safer and more stable environment for agricultural investments, ensuring long-term growth and productivity.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the programme was organised by SWOFON and supported by ActionAid; GIZ; Sustainable Agricultural Systems and Policies (AgSys); Nigeria and African Women in Agricultural Research and Development (AWARD).
The training was to build the capacity of smallholder women farmers on policy influencing and innovative engagement strategies. NAN
