Over fifteen Thousand smallholder women farmers’ cooperatives benefited from ActionAid’s Public Financing for Agriculture, PFA, in Nigeria.
This was disclosed by the Country Director, Action Aid Nigeria, Ene Obi, at the Public Financing for Agriculture, PFA, Learning and Close-Out Meeting held in Abuja
Public Financing for Agriculture is an Action Aid’s project designed to empower poor farmers, especially small holder women farmers to increase their productivity and monitor distribution of public spending in the agriculture sector to the benefit of smallholder farmers, especially women.
It was also designed to link farmers to agricultural extension and research services, inputs and credit, involves them in decision making, planning and budgeting in the agricultural sector.
The Action Aid country Director, Ene Obi explained that some of the lessons learnt in supporting smallholder women farmers results in wider reach of programme interventions and effective advocacy for policy change by smallholder women farmers at all levels.
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For the international project manager for public financing for Agriculture, Action Aid international, Constance Okeke and some of the beneficiaries present at the close-out meeting explained that the project was able to empower smallholder women farmers and Civil Society Organisations, CSOs, through capacity building, evidence-based data generation and creation of policy and programmes influencing spaces.
The Project also initiated the formation of the largest movement of smallholder women farmers in Nigeria, which is giving voice to smallholder women in the 36 States in Nigeria and the Federal Capital Territory.
The Close-Out Meeting revealed that Members and non-members of Small holder Women Farmers Organization across Nigeria is now benefiting from government support, these include training, extension services, inputs, credit, grants, agricultural machinery, and other facilities.
Editor Paul Akhagbemhe
